Austin F. Wilder

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Austin Wilder on January 4, 2025. He passed peacefully with his wife Karen by his side at University of Louisville Hospital after a long and courageous battle fighting stage four pancreatic cancer. Austin was the father of Ian and Blaine Wilder and we are thankful they were able to visit together before his passing. He never missed an opportunity to let them know how much he loved them.

Born on October 10, 1960 in Louisville, Kentucky to Ruth and Bill J. Wilder, Austin learned to scuba dive as a teen and was a scuba instructor for several years. After graduating from Doss High School in 1978, Austin attended the University of Louisville until he left to work as a scuba instructor in the Bahamas. He became a commercial diver working on oil rigs off the coast of Louisiana for five years and we loved to listen to the tales of his many adventures and harrowing work environment during his years of diving.

Austin also worked in the printing industry for many years in Wisconsin and Michigan. He graduated with a degree in Printing Technology and Management from Western Michigan University in 2002. Austin moved back to Louisville in 2010 and became a video producer, owning his own company, Austin Wilder Digital Productions. He worked on many projects and was the official videographer for the Kentucky Derby Festival for ten years, producing many entertaining videos of festival events in his beloved community.

In 2014, Austin met his soul mate Karen and together they enjoyed a decade of making memories spending time together with friends and family, hiking, kayaking, going to the lake, traveling, bourbon drinking and collecting, community outreach, attending concerts, music festivals and sporting events. Austin was an accomplished photographer, took beautiful pictures and won the Louisville Mayor’s photography contest in 2013. He loved tailgating with friends, was the biggest and often loudest U of L fan and became a huge Bama fan because of his love of Karen and football.

He was a Kentucky Colonel, a member of Phi Kappa Tau (University of Louisville), and the Bourbon Brotherhood. In 2015, Austin and Karen were baptized together at Northeast Christian Church and served as volunteers for many baptisms at the church for several years. In 2016, they started Led by His Love, a community service group to help unhoused and underserved individuals in the community. Austin was known for his quiet and caring demeanor, and willingness to lend a hand to family, friends, and colleagues, as well as people and animals in need through community organizations such as MDEF-My Dog Eats First, the Coalition for the Homeless, The Arrow Fund, the Bourbon Brotherhood/Whisky Chicks Bourbon Mixer, Northeast Christian Church, and the Louisville 48 Hour Film Festival. His kindness and care for others has made a lasting impact on the community.

Austin‘s dedication to family and friends was evident through his love and loyalty to his mother, Ruth and his connection with friends and work associates in the video industry and many friends from his early teens and college years. The family is thankful to the those who provided love, support and friendship during the tough months after Austin’s cancer diagnosis in December 2023. He gained strength from the many texts, calls and visits from his family and remarkable friends from high school, college, church and the local video community.

Austin was preceded in death by his beloved father Bill J. Wilder and is survived by his wife Karen Wilder, his mother Ruth Wilder, sons Ian Wilder (Cheyanne Hamilton) and Blaine Wilder, mother-in-law Janice Blach (John Clark), stepchildren Megan Tromanhauser (Blake), Hannah Held, Matthew Held, siblings Holly Black (Don), Dawn Giles (Robert), brother Jared Wilder (Alicia), nieces Tracy Black, Emily Lamb (Chris) Sara Workman (Joe), Ashley Wilder, Rachel Ace (Arthur), nephew Matthew Smith, and grandniece Anastasia Ace.

The family would like to thank the medical team of doctors, nurses, aides, rehab therapists, nutritionalists and support individuals who made an impact on Austin during the more than 100 days he was in the hospital over the 13 months of his battle with cancer. In the past year he spent time at the Brown Cancer Institute, University of Louisville Hospital, Jewish Hospital, and Frazier Rehab. The hard work and commitment of many individuals at these facilities helped us have more time with Austin. He will be forever missed and remembered, but his legacy will continue through donations made in his name to any of the following organizations that Austin believed in and supported.

MDEF-My Dog Eats First by clicking here.

The Arrow Fund, P.O. Box 1127, Prospect, KY 40059.

The Foundation For Lake Lure/Chimney Rock-an area Austin and Karen loved and visited shortly before the devastation of Hurricane Helene-mailing address is PO Box 113, Lake Lure NC 28746.

The family would like to thank Newcomer Funeral Home in Middletown for their care, compassion, and professionalism while assisting with arrangements.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025 at the Chapel in the Woods, 1407 Moser Road, Louisville KY, 40299. Visitation with friends and family will begin at 10:00 am, service will start at 11:30 am with internment at Cave Hill Cemetery at 2:00 pm. At this time, the family suggests remembering Austin by sharing fun and entertaining stories, being kind to others and donating blood to the Red Cross in Austin’s name.