Austin James Werle

Austin James Werle - a world traveler, music lover, self taught musician, tinker of all the things, son, brother, and friend to many - passed from this life suddenly on October 10th 2021. The world will never be the same without him. During his lifetime he was a student of anything he felt a passion for. His nomadic life led him to many beautiful locations in this world including Florida, Hawaii, Alaska, New York, New Jersey, and California. He also traveled to many places while serving in the United States Navy. While his heritage was Japanese his heart belonged there as well. He had been studying Japanese and was planning to go live there someday soon. His family will be taking some of his ashes to Japan to make that dream a reality. 

From a young age anyone around him knew his mind was a force to be reckoned with. He had such a talent for taking things apart and putting them back together. He spent many years learning how to play instruments, rebuild cars and motorcycles, and had in recent years become a chef and chocolatier. He was quick witted and a jokester. He loved to laugh and loved to make others laugh around him. He loved animals and always spent time caring for his own. He had recently found a passion with plants and spent many hours outside tending to them. He prided himself on working hard and never letting life keep him down for too long. He was forever spontaneous and found himself jumping out of planes and getting new tattoos. He would move to a city and know no one because living life was important to him. Meeting new people and experiencing life was a freedom he never took for granted. 

While Austin didn’t boast a huge family I would say that those who were lucky enough to get to experience Austin felt like family. He cared so much about those people in his life and many became family by choice. He is survived by his mother Joann Jandreau; his sister Jordan Sowders; his brother in law Stephen Sowders, and his two nieces Harper and Hazel; his aunt and uncle Dan & Kathy Griffin as well as their children Jackie and Christina; his cousin Sabrina and her children Lyric, Kaydance, and Leo ; his best friend Patrick OConnor. He is predeceased by his memaw Akiko Griffin, aunt Barbara Griffin, and grandfather Ernest James Griffin.

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