Elmer Virgil Echols was born on June 6, 1923, in Waurika, Jefferson County, Oklahoma. He was the son of Burris Otho Echols and Julia Jeanean Richeson Echols. He was married to Helen Jean Ames Echols. He served in the United States Army with the 740th Tank Battalion in World War II. Known as the “Daredevil Tankers”, the 740th was a separate battalion that fought from Utah Beach all the way to the Baltic Sea in support of various divisions of the US war effort.

After the war, he built a long career with Lockheed, retiring after 47 years of service. Elmer was a charter member of Normandale Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He died on October 5, 1999, and is now buried in the Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com