Albert Autry

1952 - 2022

Albert Autry
February 29, 1952 - February 25, 2022
El Dorado Hills, California - Albert Autry pitched his final inning on Friday, February 25, 2022 just a few days before the 70th anniversary of his birth. Since Al was a Leap Year baby, he was technically only 17½, as he would have proudly told you.
Born in Modesto to Mary & Albert Autry Sr on February 29, 1952, he was the middle child of five and grew up in the unique "island house" on Griswold & Sycamore in the College District. Al was not only a very gifted athlete, he was smart as a whip. So smart that his teachers recommended he go straight to 5th grade after 3rd grade. We were all proud of his tremendous success in life considering he "never even went to 4th grade".
At Grace Davis High School, he was a star in both baseball and basketball. After graduating in 1969, he signed with the Kansas City Royals to play professional baseball. He spent 10 years in minor league baseball and still holds a record for being the only pitcher to be called up to the major league with the Atlanta Braves as starting pitcher, winning that game but never getting in another big league game, giving him a 100% winning average. After that win, he was sold to the St. Louis Cardinals where he finished out his baseball career.
Al married his high school sweetheart, Paula Warda in April of 1971 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last spring. While living on the road for baseball, their oldest two children were born – Monica, lovingly referred to as Sis by her adoring dad, in 1975 and Paul in 1978.
Al retired from baseball in 1979 and moved back to Modesto where he soon joined the Modesto Bee in the Advertising department. Their son, Bear, was born in 1984, rounding out the Autry family.
Al would go on to have a thirty year career with the McClatchy Company, parent of The Bee. He had many roles at the Modesto Bee before joining the Raleigh (NC) News & Observer & later the Sacramento Bee as Sr. VP of Advertising. He was widely loved and respected by his co-workers at all three of those newspapers.
Al finished out his career in 2011 at 5.11 Tactical after helping childhood friend Dan Costa grow that company worldwide.
He served his community for decades in various ways – coaching little league, serving on committees and boards including Community Hospice, the Salvation Army and Doctor's Medical Center Foundation and others. Al was 6 feet 6 inches of heart and goodness. He had an uncanny ability to connect with people and make friends from all walks of life, creating lifelong friends and fans. He was a man of many talents – successful advertising executive, master at the barbeque, avid fisherman, hunter, and outdoorsman, great story teller, loving husband, dad and Dra Dra. Al was a man comfortable in his own skin. He drove a big masculine truck but also proudly carried a murse (a man purse).
He is survived by his wife of almost 51 years, Paula, his three children, their spouses, 4 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren and one step great grandchild Monica, Rain, Kaya & Noah McNeill Paul, Dayna, Stella & Evvy Autry Bear & Kaia Autry, Austyn, Stefani & Amelia Critz and Alek Silva He is also survived by his two sisters, Alison Easton & Janet Patterson and his beagle Darlene.
A gathering is planned for Friday, March 18 at Del Rio Country Club from 11am-2pm. Al was diagnosed a few years ago with a terrible neurological disorder called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to CUREPSP @psp.org or to your favorite animal charity.
Albert Autry was a very good man; a fun guy to be with; a smart guy to learn from and an entertaining guy to laugh with. He was deeply loved by many. He loved many people and activities but nothing as much as his family, fishing and his beloved beagle, Macy.