Austin Xavier Blakey, Jr.

Austin Xavier Blakey, Jr., 14, of Sioux City, passed away Friday, May 27, 2022 from injuries sustained in an accident.  Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at Holy Cross Parish - St. Michael.  To watch the service online please visit https://www.facebook.com/holycrossparishsc/live/ or https://holycrosssc.org/austin-blakey-funeral-mass  Visitation will be Monday, June 6, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. with a vigil service at 6:00 P.M. at Country Celebrations.  Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.  

Austin was born the son of Austin and Gabriela (Guevara) Blakey, Sr. on February 6, 2008 in Sioux City, Iowa.  He had just completed the eighth grade at Holy Cross - Blessed Sacrament.

Austin loved playing basketball and could be found lifting or playing ball with his friends at Four Seasons or The Arena. He also loved to move and dance around on TikTok and was constantly listening to music through his AirPods. These are all things that Austin loved to do in his life, but they don’t describe the kind of kid he really was.

Austin had an amazing heart and personality his entire life. He never failed to make someone who was having a bad day laugh or smile with his goofy grin or off-key singing. He hated seeing people unhappy and always wanted to cheer them up. Austin’s trademark was his naturally curly hair. It was not a perm and he would say “curls get the girls” when his mom would tell him to chop it all off. He was never shy to show off his athletic abilities, especially his vertical jump. You could catch him jumping up a wall or on a door frame, but always on any basketball rim. He had a level of confidence that made some people crazy but he backed it all up when he challenged anyone: tall, short, young, or old, to a game on the court. Heelan jv or varsity basketball would have had an amazing starter next year.

Austin will be missed by everyone in his family because he was truly a one of a kind brother, son, grandson, nephew, and cousin. He was the life of gatherings and never failed to make his voice heard despite having such a large family. He was so loved by his family, and he also had an even larger family that he made for himself from the boys and coaches on his sports teams to the parents of all of his friends, to the teachers who have had him since pre-k. He even made kids that weren’t in his grade feel welcome and loved, and everyone who walked the halls with him knew who he was and how amazing of a person he was. Austin was family to so many people because he was never scared to approach anyone. He loved to just be with people, and everyone who met him walked away a different person for having talked to him. He will be missed by so many people, whether they’d known him his whole life or had just passed him in the halls. Few people knew that Austin’s faith was such an important part of who he was. It was his Catholic values that taught him to love and respect everyone, and he strived every day to be more like Jesus.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests monetary donations in Austin’s name. The funds will be designated to help children with athletic expenses.

Austin is survived by his parents, Austin Sr. and Gabriela Blakey of Sioux City; siblings, Kiely Novak, Briar Lawson, Ashtyn Blakey, Cruz Blakey, Lucia Blakey, Carmella Blakey, Aubrey Blakey, Izzy Blakey all of Sioux City; grandparents, Carmen Guevara and Mike Nilles, Santiago Guevara, and Geames Ivory; and a large loving extended family.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Rochelle Ivory.