Errett C. Sechler Jr was born May 29, 1921, to Errett Cornelius Sechler and Clara Sparkman Sechler, at Burge Hospital, currently known as Cox Hospital North in Springfield, Missouri and died December 5, 2019.

Errett spent his early childhood on Washington Street in Springfield, one block from Central Christian Church where his father, Errett, Sr was the founder and minister.  He attended Boyd Elementary School and Jarret Junior.

Errett developed his work ethic at an early age.  He spent his summers with his Aunt Mattie, married to Arthur Barrett, who had a farm between Springfield and Willard.  They had no children and Errett helped with the household chores such as laundry, feeding hired hands, churning, gathering eggs; graduating to outside work when older - pitching hay, slopping hogs, sacking grain behind the threshing machine, milking, driving the team of six mules, driving the tractor and hoeing weeds in the field when the other chores were done. Occasional trips were made to Springfield for supplies in a Model A Ford.

Errett Sr sought the advice of Richie Robberson, a well-known conductor in Springfield, as to what instrument he would recommend for Errett, at which time Errett began flute lessons with an instructor from Drury College.  He was in several recitals at Drury College.

Saturdays were spent at the Princess Theater viewing westerns for 5 or 10 cents after flute lessons in the morning.  Other spare time was spent flying kites (Errett became an entrepreneur at an early age making and selling kites to neighborhood friends) going to Doling Park with his friends, sneaking over to a nearby slaughtering house, rock quarries and gypsy camps, roller skating and leashing a large dog to pull the skaters.

Grades eight through ten were spent in the Lebanon school district. While in Lebanon, Errett saved his money from selling publications to pay for the Western Flyer bike purchased from the Western Auto Store.

The Sechler family returned to Springfield in 1937. Errett worked Saturdays during the school year at Model Market, a chain of grocery stores in Springfield at that time.  He attended and graduated from Springfield Central High School across from Drury College in 1939 at which time he entered the Southwest State Teacher's College (now Missouri State University) which he attended until he enlisted in the United States Navy.

Prior to enlisting in the Navy, Errett married Betty Williams, who stayed with her parents until she was able to join him later in Norfolk, Virginia.   Basic training was at Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, Illinois where he was assigned to clerical work in the office. Ninety days later he was shipped to Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia, to wait for a ship assignment. Two weeks later he was put on board the U.S.S. New York headed for Morocco and the invasion of Africa.  As most of his duty was overseas, he had an early honorable discharge when the war ended, being awarded the Good Conduct, World War II Victory, American Campaign, Asiatic Pacific Campaign and European‑African‑Middle Eastern Campaign medals.

After the Navy, Errett returned to Springfield and resided with his wife's family.  They had a one room apartment upstairs on West Brower.  Through studies in the Navy he had attained the status of First Class Electrician.  Within four days he was employed by (now) Mid America Dairy working as an electrician.  They had no in‑house electricians and he worked there for seven years.  The last three years he also did electrical work on the side, forming Sechler Electric and operating out of the garage of his residence.   With further studies on his own and hands-on experience, he qualified to take the Master's Electrician test which he passed on January 3, 1948.        Errett continued operating Sechler Electric from his garage until 1952, whereupon he rented a store on East Grand and employed mostly firemen to work for Sechler Electric part‑time. In 1953 he traded wiring for land at 1325 S Glenstone and built a building for Sechler Electric to operate out of until 1956 at which time he built another building at 1307 South Glenstone, a building which still stands.  He built another office on Meadowmere in 1961 and operated there until he built the present office warehouse on Phelps Street.

Via an electrical contract for construction of a Holiday Inn in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, in 1961, Errett became part owner of his first Holiday Inn motel, which he helped supervise and complete the construction.  With a partner, he purchased a new Cessna in 1963 as travel to various development projects was limited by commercial airline flights.  Errett obtained his pilot license in 1963.  Holiday Inns were developed with partners and opened in Enid, Oklahoma, in Casper, Wyoming, in Fort Dodge Iowa, in Grand Junction, Colorado and in El Centro, California all with Errett supervising the construction and operations.  Along with a partner, Errett purchased a newly constructed Holiday Inn motel in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, making a total of seven Holiday Inns owned through the years.  At the time of his death, Errett continued to supervise operation of the Grand Junction Clarion Inn and Grand Junction Econo Lodge.

In 1973, Errett purchased a 10-story 128,000 sq ft office building located at Sunshine and Glenstone through foreclosure of Jefferson National Trust.  With the Plaza across the street, Plaza Towers seemed an appropriate name for this new venture.  In 1978, office space was constructed adjacent to the Plaza Towers on then-leased land which was later acquired from the School of the Ozarks.  Included in this development was a Steak and Ale restaurant which continues to be one of the most popular restaurants in Springfield now operating as Jimm's Steakhouse and Pub.

Development continued in Springfield with interests in subdivisions Chapel Hills, Southland Village and Cooper Estates as well as a strip center on East Bennett.

.           Errett was one of the original shareholders and directors of First City National Bank and  a principal shareholder of the Charley Pride Theatre in Branson where he and Pat Davis Wells were married in 1994 with Charley Pride singing to the couple with friends and family in attendance.   Errett and Pat were original shareholders of Liberty Bank, formed in 1995, now Simmons National Bank.  Errett loved spending winters with Pat at their home in Palm Desert, California.

Errett maintained an active interest in all aspects of his business interests until his death.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Bill, his children's mother, Betty and his son, Chris.  He is survived by his wife, Pat, of the home, his daughter, Susan(Rick) Welker  of Springfield, his eight grandchildren, Kit (Katy)Sechler, Rett Sechler, Ash Sechler, Casey Sechler, Jeremy(Maria) Welker, Jason(Amy) Welker, Katy(David) Welker Pitrucha and Beth(Eric) Welker Wildgen, eight great grandchildren, nieces Kathy and Karen, nephew, Marc Sechler and Pat's three children – Kim (Straton) Raybourn, Kelly Baumberger, and Marc(Lori) Hampton and her four grandchildren – Straton Lee Raybourn, Bailee Baumberger, Blake Baumberger and Klay (Alyssa) Hampton and granddaughter, Charlotte.

Visitation will be Sunday, December 8, at 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield, MO.  Funeral Services will be Monday, December 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.  Private burial following.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sechler Family Scholarship, care of Missouri State University Foundation, 300 S. Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, Missouri 65806 or to the charity of donor's choice.