Bill Echols

William Clyde "Bill" Echols, Sr., age 85, of Lula, Georgia, died Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at the residence. Mr. Echols was born on October 19, 1923 in Lula, Georgia to the late Timothy D. and Cordelia Duncan Echols. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Echols, his brothers, James, George and Talmadge Echols, and his sisters, Lois Sims and Beulah Tribble. Mr. Echols was a member of the Mt. Carmel Christian Church and the Lula Masonic Lodge F. & A. M. He was a United States Marine Corps veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart of Valor. Mr. Echols bravely served on Iwo Jima during World War II. He was a retired correctional officer with 30 years of dedicated service from the Atlanta Federal Prison. Survivors include: his wife: Glenda Pond Echols, Lula, GA; his daughter and son-in-law: Tammy and Brooke Bittinger, Conyers, GA; his son: William C. "Billy" Echols, Jr., Jasper, GA; his son and daughter-in-law: Charles Glen "Charlie" and Edie Spence, Murphy, NC; his grandchildren: Sarah Echols, Elise Echols, Josie Spence, Noah Spence, Clay Bittinger, and Beau Bittinger. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2009 from the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, Georgia with Rev. Chris Anderson officiating. Interment will follow 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 from 5 until 7 p.m. on Thursday. Arrangements are in the care of Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, Georgia.