Staff
Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.
Autry's Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home is proud of its compassionate Christian staff. With some of the area's finest men and women, we are dedicated to making each funeral ceremony a warm and memorable reflection of the person memorialized. Our highly trained and knowledgeable staff goes to great lengths to personalize each service with photographs, memorials, special music and displaying special momentos.
With years of combined experience, our people are people you know and trust, people that have been a part of our community for many years, and cherish the career that they have chosen by serving others.
Barry Autry, Funeral Director and first-generation funeral service provider, has worked in every aspect of funeral services since 1981. Having started his career in Jacksonville after graduating from Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science, he has served families across the area for over 3 decades. He and his wife Jana established Autry Funeral Home in 2003 and carefully chose a staff of caring and christian individuals who have committed their lives to serving others as they would want to be served. Barry and wife Jana have two children, Whitney Best and Brady Autry and 2 grandchildren. Members of Central Baptist Church in Jacksonville for over 30 years where Barry serves as a Deacon. He has also served as a Rotarian, a Gateway Community Partners Human Rights Board Member, Lake Jacksonville Advisory Board Member, and has served many years with United Way.
Brady Autry is a graduate of Texas A&M- Commerce School of Business and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. There he played football and completed his college education on an athletic scholarship. After completing his undergraduate degree he attended the Dallas institute of Funeral Service. While attending mortuary school Brady completed his apprenticeship with Laurel Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park where he later became General Manager of the Funeral Home and Cemetery serving the Mesquite/ Dallas community for close to 5 years.
Brady is currently General Manager and licensed Funeral Director with Autry's Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home and is Administrator for Oaklawn Memorial Park.
Brady was raised in Jacksonville, TX and is proud to call East Texas his home. He now resides in Athens with his wife Melanie, son Bennett, and daughter Janie Claire. They are members of the First Baptist Church of Athens.
Mike moved to Athens in 1980. He attended Athens Public Schools graduating high school in 1985. He continued his studies at TVCC where he earned his Associate Degree in Business Administration in 1987.
Mike's path to the funeral home business started as a senior in high school working part time at this establishment. He left to pursue other interest but the funeral business never left his heart. Mike went to the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service and obtained his license in 1998.
Mike has been married to Darla for 30 years. They raised two children in Athens, Lauren and Garrett Conley. Mike calls Athens his home and is proud to serve his community.
Rhonda Watson is a native of Temple, TX, but is proud to call East Texas home now. Growing up in the home of a Music Minister, Rhonda has always had a calling toward ministry and feels she fulfills that calling through serving families in their time of greatest need. Rhonda not only will serve your family during the time of need, but builds a relationship with you for days to come.
After working many years in the banking industry, Rhonda responded to the calling on her life and completed her education through Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 2015.
She and her husband, Tony, have been married for 33 years and have two daughters. Krista is a 1st grade teacher at Hazel Owens Elementery in Tyler, Texas and married to Tucker Steele. Kylee is a Elementary Music teacher for Hazel Owens Elementery in Tyler,Texas and married to Hunter Barrett. Tony currently serves as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Palestine.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
Shelia was born in Athens and has lived in Henderson County her entire life. She graduated from Brownsboro High School and attended Henderson County Junior College. Shelia joined Carroll-Lehr in 2009 to assist families in making their final arrangements. She has a passion for serving people and being there at a very difficult time in their lives. She now helps families with monument selection and sales and assist at visitations and services. Shelia and her husband Bobby have been married for 42 years and have a daughter Marisa Gunstanson that lives in Athens and a son Micah and wife Amelia and grandson Jude that live in Whitney. She and Bobby are longtime members of First Baptist Church Athens.
Amy is a Henderson County native and graduate of Brownsboro High School. After
many fulfilling years serving Brownsboro ISD as an elementary school nurse, Amy
reflected on a calling she has felt since she was young- to help grieving families
and pursue a career in the funeral industry. In 2022, she decided to make that
dream a reality and joined the staff at Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home. Amy is
currently a Provisional Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and is serving her
apprenticeship with our firm.
Amy is married to Jeremy Mazingo and is the mother to five daughters. Amy
enjoys traveling, being outside in nature and spending time with her family. She is
the daughter of Martha Lewis Sullivan, Blackjack Community, and the late Robert
Sullivan, and Allen Eugene Harraid.
Robert Wayne Callaway began working in funeral service in 1970. He attended Commonwealth College of Sciences in Houston Texas where he graduated in 1976. Wayne received the “Scholastic Achievement Award” and the “Bill Pierce award” for most professional attitude in funeral service.
Wayne and his late wife Joyce Co-owned and operated Callaway Funeral Home in Malakoff, TX for many years. He has two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild on the way. Wayne has been married to Kathy Killingsworth Callaway since January 2020. Wayne serves as funeral director and embalmer and lends over 40 years of experience serving families in their time of need.
Sandy was born in Colorado where she graduated from Montrose High School. She moved to Texas shortly thereafter where she attended college. She has been a resident of Athens for most of her adult life. She was the Manager at Blockbuster in Athens for 11 years where she planted her roots in the community. She lives in Athens with her husband Cary, has three daughters and a son, and Five grandsons. Sandy is a member of Fellowship Baptist Church.
Christie L. Warrick was raised in Athens, Texas. She married the love of her life, Larry Warrick, and they have been married 28 years. Together they have two children, Brianna Warrick and her fiancé Spencer Strait and they live in Denton, Cody Warrick and his wife Melissa and they live in Gun Barrel City. Christie loves spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys cooking, traveling, playing cards and is a huge animal lover. Christie takes great pride in helping others. She loves being there for our families in their greatest time of need, bonding and building relationships. Christie shares her time between Oaklawn Memorial Park and Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home. She enjoys being active and staying involved in her community.
Luz Robledo, originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico comes from a large family of eleven. She has made Athens her home and has lived here almost 25 years. Luz has been a part of the Carroll-Lehr family for the past seven years. After working in various ocupations she found her calling for service as a Funeral Assistant.
Brenda is proud to call East Texas home where she has lived most of her life in the rural area of LaRue. She graduated from LaPoynor High School and also attended Tyler Commercial College and TVCC. Most of her studies included office administration and CEUs in the study for counseling of Drug and Alcohol dependent adolescents. She has a thirty year work experience in the field of education in both mainstream and special education. Her passion has always been working with children, especially those who are most challenging. Brenda strived to plant tiny seeds of knowledge, hope, love, and encouragement for students to complete their education.
After her retirement from the school district Brenda joined Oaklawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Athens. Brenda says she embraces each day with a focus on how she can help grieving families. She says working at Oaklawn is giving her another opportunity to serve the Lord, her community, and hopefully touch the lives of some very special families, as we all share our testimonies of life.
Brenda is married to Steve Richardson and they have two children. She says they are blessed to be MiMi and Popi to six beautiful grandchildren. She is a member of Midway Baptist Church where she serves as treasurer and Sunday school teacher. She loves to cook and search for hidden treasures at local thrift stores.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Judy was born and raised in Athens, Texas where she attended Athens Public Schools.
Judy started her public service career in 1980, dispatched for the Athens Police Department until she married Roy D. Graham in 1989. She then transferred to the City of Athens Public Utilities, Finance Department and ended her tenure with City of Athens as the first Civil Service/Personnel Director. After her tenure with the City of Athens, Judy went to work for Smitson Investments until her opportunity to continue her law enforcement career came to be with the Henderson County DPS office. She was the Administrative Assistant for the Henderson County Highway Patrol office until her retirement in February, 2022. Judy is a lifelong member of St. Edwards Catholic Church. Her passions in life are helping people in need or difficult situations, she also has a special place in her heart for dogs, animals, and country and western dancing. Autry’s Carroll-Lehr is honored to have Judy assist families at visitations and funeral services where her caring demeanor and thoughtful approach brings comfort to those grieving.
