William (Bill) E. Autry Jr.

Bill passed away peacefully, early Saturday morning, Nov. 25, 2006, after battling cancer for a number of years.

W.E., as he was known to his immediate family, was born May 2, 1929 near Tioga Texas. He was the third of six children born to William Ennis and Marye Autry. W.E. was raised on the family farm near Silverton, Texas, and milked cows before school and helped his father farm from the time he could crawl on a tractor.

He graduated from Silverton High School in 1947, one of a class of 13. Bill joined the U.S. Air Force shortly thereafter and was stationed at Templelhoff Air Force Base in Berlin, Germany for 4 years. As a military policeman, he had duties including honor guard for dignitaries, funerals and guarding war criminals at Spandow Prison during the later Nuremburg Trials. He served as the Provost Marshall during much of this time. He also took part in "running the blockade" as a first-time tank driver, when Russia closed off all access to and from Berlin necessitating the "Berlin Airlift."

In 1952, Bill returned from Germany and was stationed at Webb Air Force base in Big Springs, Texas, where he met and Married Ara Juanita Cox. Upon his discharge, he began School at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Bill and Juanita had two children during this time (Bill and Vicki) and struggled to live and complete school. Bill graduated with degrees in agricultural and civil engineering in 1957.

He became a registered engineer and surveyor in Texas and Washington. He went to work for the Soil Conservation Service — which later became the USDA — in 1957. Their third child (Diane) was born shortly thereafter.

His first assignment was in Pampa, Texas. In 1963, Bill was transferred to Ephrata as the area engineer. His area of responsibility included much of Eastern Washington where he worked on various irrigation, land leveling, drainage, flood control projects also working out much of the engineering design for the Warden Golf Course. In 1974 he was transferred to Paris, Texas where he designed, supervised construction, and approved a flood control dam project on the Red River that covered five Texas counties, constructing 75 dams. After 31 years of service he retired in 1985 and returned to Ephrata to live.

Bill enjoyed his retirement with many of the simple pleasures … coffee every morning with friends, fishing, camping, travel, his grandchildren, and entertaining anyone who would lend an ear.

He is survived by his wife, Juanita, three children - Bill and (Chris) Autry; Vicki and (Jim) Weitzel; and Diane Clark; all of the Ephrata area. He is survived by two sisters - Margie and (Jerry) Taylor of New Braunsful, Texas, Ann Sparks of Bedford ,Texas, one brother Tom Autry of San Antonio, Texas, two sisters-in-law Lessie Autry (deceased Brother Howard) of Grandbury, Texas and Jean Autry (deceased Brother Kenneth) of Eldorado, Kansas.

He is further survived by his grandchildren which were his greatest love. Jeremy (Jennifer), Brad, and Nick Weitzel; Justin (Sara) Clark; Rachael and Kaitlyn Autry; and all the various children over the years that considered him Grandpa. Grandpa will be missed but not forgotten.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials may be sent to the Indian Creek Church Restoration, 677 Burns City Road, Valley View, Tx. 76272-4523.

Funeral arrangements are pending at Nicoles Funeral home.