Dennis Ray Autry

Dennis Ray Autry, 72, of Waco, Texas, passed away peacefully August 25, 2023, in his home surrounded by family. The thoughts and prayers of many family members and friends who could not be there were present as well. Dennis was a fighter and fought his battle with cancer courageously.

Two memorial services will be held to celebrate Dennis’ life. The first will be in Odessa, Texas. The second will be at the Sweet Street Baptist Church in Tahoka, Texas. More details will be posted as they are available. Circumstances are not conducive to absolute dates and times at this posting.

Born April 27, 1951 in Tahoka, Texas, Dennis was the eighth of nine children born to G.L. (Leonard) and Ethel Kizer Autry (the nineth being his twin, Jannis). They lived in many small towns and communities around Tahoka, Texas through the years. Dennis grew up in the farming/ranching community of Draw, Texas on a farm about 5 miles from the Double U ranch.

Dennis attended the 1^st to 12^th years of school in O’Donnell, Texas. After school he lived in Lubbock for a while then married Linda Ware, of Tahoka, Texas and moved to the ranch where her dad worked and began his working cowboy life. This was the life he loved and would have chosen as a career unless there was not enough money for his family. He worked in the lumber yard business at Higginbothom Lumber in Tahoka and Wilson, Texas. From there, he moved to Abilene, Texas where he sold insurance. In 1976 he began work with Dowell, a Division of Dow Chemical. In 1983 he divorced and moved to Odessa, Texas and married Darnell Sparks a time later. The long hours and away times took its toll on this marriage too and it ended in 1991. Finally, he married the 3^rd time, in 1998, to (in his words) “his soul mate”. Dennis and Cindy Branum Autry were married 25 years. Each of the marriages gave him something special. The first gave him two sons, the second a daughter, not-biologically but in the heart and another grandson. The last gave him the best years of his life.

After retirement Dennis spent many hours helping neighbors around their home in Waco, Texas mowing lawns for sick ones and the elderly, working on their broken-down cars and various other needs. Much of his time was spent lovingly restoring his deceased brother’s 1986 Ford pickup – “The Joseph Lee”. It was his pride and joy and quite an accomplishment. Dennis was full of life, loved to see new things, researched many things via the internet to stay informed in varied areas and he loved his yard work, country music, dancing and telling stories about his “glory days.” He gave everyone he loved a nick name of his own, e.g., all his grandchildren and great grands had a “Bob” in their name that does not belong, except when he said their names. He was known for his cowboy hat, stand-alone starched jeans and shirts and classy boots. Dennis knows and loves Jesus and prayed for others even as he fought his own hard battle.

Dennis (DeRay) was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Ethel Autry of Tahoka, Texas; and one brother, Joseph Lee Autry of Robert Lee, Texas.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Cindy Branum Autry of Waco, Texas; mother in law, Jean Branum; two sons, Lance Autry (Breezie) of Abilene, Texas, and Scott Autry of Odessa, Texas; daughter, Tiffany Patterson (James) of Odessa; six grandchildren, Corey Autry (Brooke), Danielle Autry (Brent), Colton and Reighly Autry (the other twins), Heather Autry, Gage Autry, and Brayden Patterson; eight great grandchildren, Jaxon and Alina Autry, Jesslynn and Breelynn McVea, Gracelynn and Raelynn Villareal, Noah and Scarlette Clarke; seven siblings, Polly Horn, Alline Craig (John), Thomas Autry, Frances Stone (Joe), Lola Mattingly, Clara Carsten (Don), Jannis Childress and a host of nephews and nieces and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project – https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate and St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital –  https://www.stjude.org/donate. Mailing and donating by phone are included on the websites.