LULA – William Clyde “Bill” Echols Sr., 85, died Tuesday, February 17, 2009, at his residence.
Born on October 19, 1923, in Lula, he was the son of the late Timothy D. and Cordelia Duncan Echols. He was a member of the Mt. Carmel Christian Church and the Lula Masonic Lodge F.& A.M. Mr. Echols was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Echols; brothers, James, George and Talmadge Echols; sisters, Lois Sims and Beulah Tribble. He was a United States Marine Corps veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart of Valor, serving in Iwo Jima during World War II. He was a retired correctional officer with 30 years of dedicated service with the Atlanta Federal Prison.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Pond Echols, Lula; daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Brooke Bittinger, Conyers; sons and daughter-in-law, William C. “Billy” Echols Jr., Jasper, Charles Glen “Charlie” and Edie Spence, Murphy, N.C.; grandchildren, Sarah Echols, Elise Echols, Josie Spence, Noah Spence, Clay Bittinger and Beau Bittinger.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Whitfield Funeral Home with the Rev. Chris Anderson officiating. Burial will be in the Enon Baptist Church cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Habersham County American Legion Post #84, the Grant Reeves VFW Post #7720, and the Rabun County DAV Chapter #15. The family will receive friends at the South Chapel Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, is in charge of arrangements.