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On the occasion of his 60th birthday, friends and family honor Austin Tao for his success as a landscape architect, contributions to the community, excellent Chinese cooking skills, and for being a source of inspiration to his four children and his wife. Austinâs mother, Ruth, recalls that Austin
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Austin with five-year-old daughter Jamie, who likes to play games with her daddy since he lets her cheat. |
was always active growing up, and a bit of a daredevil. In Hong Kong, where he spent three years as a child, he would go to the top of their building and fly a kite. He was born in Shanghai, China, and moved to the United States in 1954 with his uncle. ãI remained in Hong Kong with my daughter waiting for our visas,ä said Ruth. ãWe came a year later. Austin didnât speak the language, and was without his mother. I donât know how he did it.ä
Not only did Austin learn the language, he became the successful owner of a landscape architecture firm in St. Louis. ãThrough the years Austin established himself as the leading landscape architect in this region,ä said his
friend and mentor, William Tao. ãIn addition, he has been active and has contributed heavily to many community organizations. I am proud of him as a friend and am pleased when people have mistaken him as one of my sons.ä His secretary, Sheila Raney, admires him as an employer. ãHe makes me feel that my opinion on a subject is valuable whether we agree or not,ä she said. ãHe is a team leader to his staff. I appreciate his sensitivity to each employeeâs unique circumstances. Thanks to Austin for being a friend.ä
Emma White, his sister, is proud of his accomplishments, although she admits that they had their
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Austin is an avid tennis player, and played every Sunday with his son, Andy |
share of sibling rivalry growing up. ãSuddenly everything changed when Austin went away to college,ä she said. ãI no longer felt I had to compete with him. I was also then interested in boys and thought his friends could be my conduit to meeting them.ä She added, ãOver the years Austin has matured into a responsible father, husband, professional and citizen of the community.ä His children appreciate the inspiration he has provided. ãDad has taught me to take time to appreciate elements outside of my everyday life, such as the arts and the environment,ä said his daughter, Nancy Tao. ãHe always inspires me to work hard at being the best at what I do, from playing tennis to my career to making the best decisions for my own family. Growing up, he was like my personal career counselor ö always wanting to know what profession I thought I would pursue.
Today, I realize why he was so concerned about my decisions ö it wasn't so much about the actual profession I chose but more about the quality of life that my decision would bring me.ä
His daughter, Tracy Tao-Moore, remembers when her dad began his business. ãDad started his company in the attic at our house,ä she said. ãHe showed me his logo
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Austin skiing with children Tracy, Nancy and Andy |
designs on a yellow legal pad. As his company grew, I cleaned and vacuumed one office location after another. I was paid nicely for doing that!ä She also remembers some wonderful weekend adventures. ãHe would stop the car to tell me that he designed this place, which was a playground, or a streetscape or a park. And he always took me to my two favorite places: Oliverâs in Clayton for ice cream and dim sum on Sunday mornings at Lantern House. Through all of those moments, I sensed pride, beauty, and love of the work in my Dad. That instilled me to be a successful person in my graphic design career. Thanks, Dad, for simply showing me all of that. Another thing I love about my father is that heâs the best cook for Chinese food!ä
Andy Tao, his only son, recalls their famous wordless Sundays. ãDad would take me to McDonaldâs for breakfast every Sunday. He would read the front page as I read the comic section. No words exchanged. Then we would go over to Flynn Park or Kaufman Park to play a game of tennis. Now we do not have wordless Sundays any more and I miss them. Every time I pass that area in Clayton where our McDonaldâs used to be, I cannot help but smile.ä
His youngest daughter, Jaime, is five years old. ãI love my Daddy so much because he gives me treats,ä she said. ãI like to play games with Daddy because I get to cheat. He works hard so he can make lots of money to buy me things and he spoils me
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Austin is an avid tennis player, and played every Sunday with his son, Andy |
only a little bit.ä She thinks his eating habits could use a little help, however. ãHe is boring because he ate spider soup just once, because
he didnât like it. And he didnât want butterfly salad or want bugs mixed together. He didnât want to eat bees because he would get a stinger in his throat and have to go to the hospital.ä Austin met his wife, Mary, at a Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser, where he was auctioned off. The top moneymaker, he went for $1,200 to Maryâs bossâ ex-wife, but Mary ultimately landed the Bachelor of the Year.
ãAustin is a wonderful partner ö considerate, compassionate and someone I can count on in every way,ä she said. ãHe takes the utmost care and concern for his family. But his calming, funny, relaxed and sometimes innocent manner is the most fun. He can be the biggest kid around, loving junk food and carnival rides, sleeping late and sneaking in places. He will find his way to join a girlâs night out, and he put on roller blades for the first time at age 48.ä
Mary talked about the many awards Austin has received. ãMany people admire him, not only his work, but also the person he is. He feels it is important to be involved and to try to make a difference, which he shows by his involvement in arts organizations and those that are concerned with bettering the environment, as well as his work helping other minorities and serving on the boards of many non-profits. He follows his principles and values every day in his life and in his work.ä
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Gift of a Lifetime