Our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend to all, Marvin Glen Autry, Sr. of Chelsea, Alabama, passed into his heavenly home on Wednesday January 25, 2023 at the age of 91 after a short illness.
“Glen” was preceded in death by his wife, Patsy M. Autry; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Autry; son, Richard Allen Autry; daughter, Vicki Lynn Johnson; Vicki’s daughter, Brittani Pearce; his brother, Harry Autry, Jr.; and sisters, Ramona Houston and Nueall Gibson.
Survivors include Glen's two remaining sons, Marvin Glen Autry, Jr. (Judy) and Phillip Wayne Autry (Janice); grandchildren, Russell Autry (Janeen), Daniel Autry, Kelby Johnson, Jayden Johnson, Landyn Johnson, Lily Johnson, Ella Johnson, Robert David Autry, and Wesley Brasher-Legear; and great-grandchildren, Keegan and Mallory Autry.
Glen grew up in the Shady Side community on the eastern edge of Ensley, Alabama, and graduated from Ensley High School. His military career started with about a one-year stint with the U.S. Navy until it was discovered he was underaged and discharged to return home. Several years later, he joined the Army National Guard and served several years on active and reserve status.
Early in his marriage in the late 1950’s, Glen accepted the Lord Jesus as savior and felt drawn to the ministry. In 1960, after completing part of his seminary training, he was assigned a circuit of churches in rural Centre, Alabama. After returning to Birmingham, Alabama, he pastored Arnolds Chapel Methodist Church in the Bessemer/McCalla area for a number of years.
Glen grew up in a construction family, working under his father and alongside his older brother “Buddy” on many masonry projects. He was a journeyman brick mason by trade doing work on many masonry projects in the central Alabama area, commercial and residential. He was a true craftsman who took pride in his skill. He was a hard task master to apprentices he tutored, expecting the same attention to detail, skill and pride in his work.
Glen changed occupations in the late 1960’s due to injuries he received in a construction accident in the early 1960’s. Although he recovered from a broken back, it became too painful to continue in the masonry trade due to the physical demands of lifting heavy materials hundreds of times every day. He applied for the position of building inspector for the City of Birmingham Inspection Department. Upon passing an extensive test on construction practices and standards, he was told he had the highest test score of anyone taking the test in recent memory.
In 1969, Glen and Patsy purchased an 80-acre farm in Chelsea. The family was currently living in the Midfield/Wilkes area. He no longer felt safe in raising his family in this area with pollution from steel mills and seeing the beginning phases of decline in his old neighborhood.
After leaving the Inspection Department in early 1971, Glen started his own construction company doing residential and commercial projects. He continued the business after moving to Chelsea, building a significant number of homes in Chelsea and Shelby County.
Glen then began to develop part of the farm by building a number of apartments and rental houses. This included the Wedding Chapel, which many people in the area have used for weddings and family events over the past 10 years or more. Glen originally built this facility to gather and entertain. After that, he named it the Wedding Chapel and used it for weddings up until Covid in 2020, when he completely retired from the wedding chapel and enjoyed the grounds he started working on in May 1995 until January 2023.
Glen was a pillar in the Chelsea community and will be missed by his many friends and business associates. He loved his Golden Retriever, beloved companion Bondswan II. He enjoyed taking him everywhere with him in his travels, especially on long trips in his RV.
Glen was a mover and a shaker type of person. He had tremendous energy and could never stay still very long. He lived a long and productive life, along with the usual problems, complications, battles, setbacks, and many successes. He was a man of basic integrity and unusual talents. His family and friends will miss him so much.
Glen Sr.'s family will greet friends from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, January 30, 2023 at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, Alabama. Also on Monday, January 30, 2023, A Service of Remembrance will begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Southern Heritage Cemetery, Pelham.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.SouthernHeritageFunerals.com for the Autry family.
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