Beckham County, OK - Obits: R. E. Echols, 1924 21 Jan 2008 Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ ECHOLS, R. E. (20 Mar 1924, Thursday, Elk City News Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK): A telephone message from Senator E. M. Reed at Oklahoma City to the News Democrat at 5 o'clock Saturday evening, brought the news to Elk City of the serious condition of Ex-Senator R. E. Echols, following a stroke of paralysis at noon that day. The News Democrat immediately published a bulletin for the benefit of the many friends in Elk City. Death occurred at the University Hospital at 8 o'clock Monday night. Funeral services were held at the Street and Draper Chapel at Oklahoma City, Tuesday, conducted by Rev. W. Clyde Howard of the Presbyterian Church. The body was taken to McAlester for burial, the home of the parents of Mr. Echols, also the home of his two sisters and one brother. Another brother lives at Wichita Falls. The deceased leaves also a widow, a son, R. E. Echols, Jr. and two daughters, Mrs. Harvey Walker and Mrs. Ida Rowe. The Echols family were formerly residents of Elk City and have a host of friends here who join the News Democrat in extending sympathy to the bereaved family. R. E. Echols was elected state Senator from this district at statehood; and was appointed to the corporation Commission by Governor Robertson in 1920. Later he was candidate to succeed himself and won the democratic nomination by a plurality of 40,000 votes. Since his retirement from this position, he has been practicing law in Oklahoma City. He was fifty years old. The following tribute was taken from a Booster Edition of the Roger Mills Democrat of June 1, 1905 in which appeared a write-up of the prominent business and professional men of Elk City at that time: R. E. Echols is one of the coming lawyers of Oklahoma. He is a man of exceptional qualities and conspicous (sic) talents. Many fine professional and personal traits find exemplification in his character, habits and methods of thought. He quietly pursues the practice of his profession without those handicaps that so frequently encumber other men. His mind is always clear, alert and keen, while the facts stick to his memory like iron fillings to a magnet. He fights for a client as long as there is hope, cannot be swerved from the principles of honesty, and exhibits that devotion to friends that qualifies him for leadership. Mr. Echols is a native of Texas, and was educated in the University of that state, and represents the anomoly (sic) in politics of being a democrat to the manor born. Since his location in Elk City several years ago, he has steadily grown in public confidence and esteem, until today he has as valuable a practice as usually falls to the lot of men much older. The more you have to do with R. E. Echols, the more he will grow in your confidence and esteem. He is recognized as the leading attorney of this section, notwithstanding he is quite a young man. He is a "good mixer" as politicians put it, and since his residence here has made many strong friends. There are few lawyers in Oklahoma who are better qualified for their profession than Mr. Echols. Mr. Echols is a keen, adroit and capable lawyer, a fine judge of law, commercial paper and business transactions. Withal he is rigidly honest, rationally conservative and a safe man to intrust (sic) your business with. --------------------------------------------------------- Return to Beckham County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/beckham/beckham.htm