John Henry Echols, age 81, of Arkadelphia, passed from this life on Saturday, October 5, 2013, at Baptist Medical Center in Arkadelphia. He was born on November 19, 1931 in Hot Springs, the son of the late James and Nellie Rebecca McConnell Echols. John was retired from Reynolds Metals, Jones Mill plant and was a proud member of First United Pentecostal Church in Friendship. He was a United States Navy veteran of the Korean conflict and served four years on the USS Battleship Iowa, where he visited twenty countries. John enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping and gardening. His passion for coon hunting allowed his induction into the Arkansas Coon Hunters' Hall of Fame. John was preceded in death by five brothers, Jack, Elsworth, Willie, Calvin and Earnest Echols and three sisters, Florine Wilson, Lois Crone and Dorothy Echols. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude Lee Echols, his son, John Wayne (Jackie) Echols of Benton, four sisters, Alline Robert of Hot Spring Village, Ruby Deagle of Tull, TX, Betty Morrow of Hot Springs and Louise Mandeck of Tull, TX, two grandchildren Page (Tonya) Echols and Dusty (Melanie) Echols, and three great grandchildren, Eli, Mollie and Collin Echols. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at Welch Funeral Home, with Mike Steed and Dwayne Croft officiating. Interment will be in Gilchrist Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Monday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Page and Dusty Echols, Terry Garner, Vance Buck, Aaron Johnson and Bubba Hostetler. Memorials may be made to the First United Pentecostal Church. Final arrangements are entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia. Visit www.welchfh.net to sign the online guest book and view the video tribute.