Published: May 13, 2008 11:12 am            

Laura Mae Echalk

Laura Mae Echalk was born May 18, 1924, in Red Starr, Ark., the daughter of Earnest and Ethel (Daniel) Ballenger. The family moved to the Hallett/Jennings area while she was a little girl. She attended the Jennings Schools where she later graduated in 1941. She was united in marriage to Leo P. Echalk on Sept. 4, 1942, in Drumright, after a short courtship. Laura and her sister began working for Douglas Aircraft in 1945 for the war effort. She then moved to St. Louis, Mo., with her husband and began managing a cosmetology school until they returned to Tulsa in 1954. Laura accepted employment with Standard Oil Company where she worked for three years and later began selling insurance for Prudential Life and Casualty for four years. Laura returned to school and obtained her real estate license and soon started working as a real estate agent for Burlingame Realtors. Laura soon began working toward her broker’s license and after two years, she opened her own real estate agency. In 1965 and 1966, Laura purchased two beauty shops in Tulsa while continuing to operate the real estate company and was still selling insurance. She continued to do this until Oct. 5, 1970, when she was involved in an auto accident that left her debilitated and took her youngest sister’s life.

Since that time, Laura and the love of her life, Leo, continued to reside in Jennings until 1997. At that time, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and moved to Stillwater with their son in Stillwater.

After her accident in 1970, Laura would always say “When I get up and going,” she would do this or that. However, she still was very energetic and loved her family dearly and will be missed by many.

Laura went to be with her Lord and Savior Thursday, May 8, 2008, in Stillwater, at the age of 83 years.

Survivors are her son, Ed Echalk and wife, Jeanie, of Stillwater; sister, Nicki Morrison and her husband, Vernon, of Jennings; five grandchildren, Jill Ritter and her husband, Tom, of Guthrie, Leslie Echalk of Stillwater, Anna Echalk of Stillwater, Jamie Mason and her husband, Earl, of Anchorage, Alaska and Chris Echalk and his fiancé, Jill Clifford, of Yukon; three great grandchildren, Jayden, Keaton and Mason; and her best buddy, Lilly Ritter, as well as a host of other relatives and friends.

Laura was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Leo, in October of 2000; one sister, Velva; and one brother, J.T. Ballenger.

Church services were held at 2 p.m. Monday in the sanctuary of the Oakhill Church on Keystone Lake with the Rev. Harrell Jones officiating. Burial followed in the Jennings Cemetery under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home of Cleveland.

        

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