June 3, 1951 - November 27, 2025
William Tine “Bill” Autrey passed away peacefully on November 27, 2025 at the age of 74.
Bill could make anyone laugh. He was incredibly generous, intensely competitive, and he had a great style that was all his own. He was a collector of movies, music, art, and all things beautiful. Bill was a natural connector, serving as the social glue in many areas of his life.
Born in Duluth, Minnesota, and raised in St. Cloud, Bill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and his Master of Social Work degree from St. Catherine University. After years working in the private sector, he loved his second career as a social worker at Richfield Middle School, impacting the lives of countless young people.
Bill was a loving and proud father and stepfather. He is survived by his beloved daughter Beth, who will forever be a daddy’s girl. Additionally, he is survived by his stepson Colin (Lucy), and stepdaughter Hannah (Andy); his nephew Drew (Allison), who was like a son to him, and their children Nolan and Elliott; his siblings Joan (Frank), Dave (Carol), Mike (Monina), and Jim (Linda). He was preceded in death by his parents Marcia and William; his brother Steve, and his sister Deb.
A visitation will take place at 2:00pm followed by a celebration of life at 3:00pm on Friday, December 12 at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church in Minneapolis.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to The Salvation Army and Joyce Uptown Food Shelf.
Celebration of Life
Friday, December 12, 2025
3:00 PM
Visitation from 2:00-3:00 PM
Lake Harriet United Methodist Church
4901 Chowen Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55410
God bless him he was such a great and fun guy
Thank you for bringing so much laughter and fun into our lives. I miss you Cowboy!
Bill was a great and fun guy to be around. He made the bes out of every negative situation and then laughed about it as if it was not a big thing to be worried about. He helped me through some trying times when we worked for the same company and had the same boss. I don’t think I would have made it without his funny attitude. He was kind and generous. He took me and my son to a Chicago Cubs season opener. My son still cherishes this experience as I do. He will be remember as the “don’t take things so seriously” friend in my life. I have and will continue to miss chatting with him. My thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and other friends as I know that they will miss him too.
Bill and I both worked on our high school newspaper at St. Cloud Technical HS. Because I was a fast typist, I occasionally typed an English paper for him. He was in a much more popular crowd than I was, there was never a time when he didn’t greet me kindly when we passed in the hall.
Many years later, we became Facebook friends and caught up on life news. When he posted that he was getting a divorce, I sent him a message, offered encouragement and prayers. He accepted both. Whenever he needed both, I was happy to oblige. We saw each other only once at our 50th class reunion. It was always my hope that he found happiness again after that.
Bill was a kind man, may he rest in God’s peace.