Hershel Bartlow H.B. (Buck) Echols

H.B. (Buck) Echols, age 86, of Cumming, died peacefully on Sunday, November 13, 2011. He was a member of Haw Creek Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ann Wolfe Echols. All ofhis brothers and sisters also preceded him.

He was the 9th of 10 children born to JosephDelbert and Clara Vaughan Echols. He was born on May 14th 1925 in the Cuba community, which is the Friendship area today. He grew up poor, hungry, and ragged, going barefoot in the summer and fall until the cotton was picked and sold. Then he was able to have a pair of shoes, a new pair of overalls and a lightweight sweater for winter. We have often heard him talk about his mother, Mama Echols, and how hard she struggled to raise them and feed them. He ate whatever was put on the table and was thankful to have it: cornbread, biscuits, turnip greens, collards, rabbits and squirrels. He knew what it meant to be hungry and made sure we never did. He hated to see food wasted and often reminded us how blessed we were and how grateful we should be for a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and food on our table.

When his father died, only Daddy and his younger brother Charlie were still at home with Mama Echols so Daddy moved them to Atlanta and found a job as an elevator operator at the Piedmont Hotel and later work at the Atlanta Journal and Constitution Building. He worked at the King Plow Company building plows and at White Provisions, a meat packing company owned by Swift. He worked for Huber and Huber Motor Express riding the tailgate to protect, load and unload the cargo. This is how he learned the streets of Atlanta so he could make deliveries throughout the city as he hauled freight for trucking companies for much of his adult life. He worked for Triple A Motor Express, Northern Freight Lines, McGill Motor Express, Atlanta Motor Lines, Refrigerated Transport, Superior Trucking Company, Swift and Company, J.C. Vaughan, and Peachtree Doors. When we were children he and our grandfather, Jake Wolfe, were partners in J & B trucking company, hauling chicken feed to poultry farmers in the surrounding area. Daddy hauled freight to Cumming and throughout North Ga. when there were only dirt roads to travel. He remembers hauling power poles from Atlanta to Cumming as rural electrification came to Forsyth County. When Buford Dam was built he hauled rip rap for the construction of the saddle dikes. He worked hard to provide for his family. He never took a day off, even when he was sick, and he never went on a vacation. There was certainly nothing lacking in Daddy's work ethic.

He married Barbara Ann Wolfe...only daughter of Jake and Bernice Wolfe in 1953. It was a loving marriage and in all our experience we never head a cross word between them. I'm certain it was not easy to keep all four children clothed and fed; we never went without. Mother died 24 years ago, at age 51 after 34 years of marriage. I can only imagine the joy of their reunion as he joined her in Heaven.

Our Daddy has many unique saying which we will always treasure. Of someone who talked too much.. "He's got more mouth than a Whippoorwill's got behind." Or "That land was so poor, a rabbit couldn't get through there unless he brought his lunch." I've heard him say "I'm so hungry I can see cornbread ghosts." Some of his sayings have provided invaluable advice for his children and grandchildren... "Look a man in the eye when you speak to him.... Your word is your bond.... You've got two ears and one mouth... Listen more and talk less."

In my Mother's last words she asked Daddy to take care of her mother (Bernice Wolfe) who had, less than 8 months earlier, lost her husband of 52 years. Daddy did just that and cared for her until her death in 2004. Daddy loved Grannie like a mother, and she loved him like a son. I often heard him remark how blessed he had been to have the love and companionship of two of the finest women God put on this Earth.

As a young teenager he accepted Jesus as his Savior during a revival meeting at Harmony Grove Church. P.W. Tribble preached the sermon. The first person Daddy saw when he came up from the 'mourner's bench' was Beatrice Cochran. He said she was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen! Quite often when one of us called to check on Daddy, and he finally got to the telephone, we would ask "What are you doing Daddy?" to which he would reply, "Reading the Good Book". We are thankful for our father's personal story of salvation. It gives us great hope and comfort today.

He was a loving, faithful and committed son, husband and son-in-law. And he was a Great Father, we have been richly blessed.

He is survived by his children, Douglas Echols, Charlene Echols Harrell, Lesa Echols Reynolds (Eddy), Paula Echols Phillips (James). Grandchildren Charlton, Mallory and Katherine Echols, Corbett Harrell, Sarah and Graham Reynolds, Lauren, Jake and Emma Phillips. Sister in law Jessie Echols and a number of nieces, nephews and other loving relatives also survive.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 2:00 pm at Ingram Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Larry Vaughan officiating. Interment will follow in Sawnee View Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at Ingram Funeral Home on Tuesday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Wednesday from 9:00 am until the hour of service.

Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory, Cumming, Georgia is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be made at www.ingramfuneralhome.com.