William ‘Bill’ H. Echols
William “Bill” H. Echols, 89, of Las Vegas, Nev., and formerly of Ullin, died at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, in the Heights of Summerlin care facility, in Las Vegas.
He was born on July 27, 1919, in Ullin, the son of H. E. and Ruth Crippen Echols.
He met Arline Belding through the World War II program called “Smokes for Yanks” and married her on March 14, 1945, in Andersen, Ind. They were married for 50 years until her death.
He served during World War II in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. He was a member of the Army Airways Communication System, AAACS.
Mr. and Mrs. Echols owned and operated the Thomas C. Nash Inc. Company (heating control & accessory business) in Dayton, Ohio, for 40 years, before retiring to Las Vegas in 1988.
He was an inventor and philanthropist. Through donations directed toward his home town of Ullin, the old ICRR Depot was saved from destruction, and an Ullin veteran’s memorial was erected and scholarships created.
He also funded the Arline and Ruth Echols Family Trust Fund, which awards educational scholarships to family members annually. He graduated Phi Theta Kappa, with associated degrees from the Community College of Southern Nevada, CCSN, in 2001, 2002 and 2005.
Survivors include one brother, H. E. “Bucky” (Eleanor) Echols of Anna; two sisters, Vesta Marks of Clarksville, Tenn., and Wanda Watkins of Anna; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, two brothers and two sisters.
Mr. Echols will be interned next to Arline in the Sunrise Cemetery in Las Vegas. No public visitation or funeral is planned.