Aaron Autry, former Central Power and Light president, passes away

Aaron Autry

(Story by Andy Heines Jr.)

CORPUS CHRISTI — Former Central Power and Light Company President Aaron Autry died Oct. 20 in Corpus Christi. He was 89 years old.

Autry was elected to the CPL board of directors in 1970 and was named CPL president and chief operating officer in January 1977. He retired on Dec. 31, 1980.

Autry came to work for CPL in Corpus Christi in 1956 and was assigned to work as an agricultural engineer in the Laredo-Hebbronville area in 1957. He was promoted to industrial development engineer in the company’s Home Office in 1961.

In 1964 he was named an administrative assistant in the Home Office Executive Department and later that year moved to Bay City to serve as Rice Belt District manager. Autry was promoted to general manager of Marketing in 1966, and was elected vice president in 1969.

He is survived by three children: Martha Gilmore, James Parker Autry, both of Corpus Christi, and John Autry of Colleyville, Texas; and five grandchildren: Shay Gilmore of San Francisco, Calif.; Daniel Gilmore of Los Angeles, Calif.; Jessica and (husband) Sean Carpenter of Roanoke, Texas; Amber Autry and Melissa Autry of Colleyville, Texas.

A memorial service will be held at St. Bartholomew’s before the end of the year. The church will announce more details in November.