- Date Of Birth: November 19, 1918
- Date Of Death: September 2, 2015
- State: North Carolina
James Otis Autry was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a graduate of the Washington High School, Raleigh.
He has served in the United States Army twice 1943-1945 and 1950-1952 and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sgt. 1st Class.
He was a member of the Tupper Memorial Baptist Church where he served as a Trustee and the Church Treasurer for a number of years.
He was a member of Fidelity Lodge #277, Raleigh, N.C. and has held the positions of Esteemed Leading Knight and Esteemed Lecturing Knight, and the Cahirman of the Education Committee. He was a member of the Baxter Past Exalted Ruler’s Council #127, member of the S. T. Enloe Past State President’s Council #3, the Mamie S. Hicks Fez Club, L.S. Wilcox Shrine Club, Civil Liberties League #255, honorary member of the L. Moore Purple Cross Unit, Colonel in the Antlered Guard Unit, Youth Department.
James has served as Esquire of the N.C. State Association and Grand District Deputy of the Fifth District of the North Carolina State Association, a member of the National District Deputies Council, Vice President of the N.C. Deputies Council. He was Past Grand Exalted Ruler, the highest honor in the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World. He also holds the State and National Degree.
He was a Notary Public and a member of the American Society of Notaries, a member of the NAACP, Charles T. Norwood Post #157 American Legion, Circus Fans Association of America, Circus Historical Society of America, and Circus World Museum, INC.
James is married to Judith Broome Autry.
