Paul Luke Elliott

Paul Luke Elliott
Dec. 16, 1929 – Dec. 1, 2013

On Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, Paul Luke Elliott, died peacefully in his sleep after a long illness at the age of 83. Paul was born on Dec. 16, 1929 on a Cherokee Indian Reservation outside of El Reno, Okla., to Roy and Beulah Elliott. He was a child of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
His family left Oklahoma in the midst of the Depression/Dust Bowl era when Paul was very young. The family worked in the field crops and orchards during their immigration to California where they finally settled in Healdsburg. Paul was a graduate of Healdsburg High School.
It was during that summer, that he met a beautiful girl named Carol Mecklenburg while swimming in the Russian River near Healdsburg. Paul married Carol on April 26, 1952, after a four-year enlistment in the US Navy during the Korean War.
He worked for Varian Associates in San Carlos. While at Varian, he also attended Stanford University. Paul worked with a team of associates at Varian that developed the television color tube with RCA. He also was on the team that developed the titanium-impregnated glass for the first space capsules. During his time at Varian, Paul discovered ways to re-build the radio and television transmitting tubes that broadcast the audio portion of the signal.
He left Varian and with Carol's help founded Econco Broadcasting, Co. where he was CEO until his retirement. All who worked with him considered Paul a technological genius. During his career in developing and building his business he held 12 patents pertaining to the vacuum tube technology. Econco was also instrumental in government defense contracts involving defense missile systems.
"Pretty good for a dirt poor Okie," Paul would say. He rarely patted himself on the back, so that was a lot coming from him. It meant so much to him to be able to work alongside his son, David. Even after he retired, David kept him in the loop at all times. Paul and Carol moved their business and their family to Woodland in 1969.
Later, he and Carol would move part-time to their much-loved Forestdel Ranch in Wyoming. They loved the summer, which always brought their children and grandchildren. The fall brought the hunters of the family and those who loved them. The Elliott family rode horses, hiked, and fished in the shadows of Mt. Wagner and the Salt River in the beautiful Star Valley with Paul leading the way. He would ride along on his beloved horse, "Dutch," leading family in cowboy songs and telling everyone tales.
He was quite the storyteller and he loved to write. He left many un-finished works, but was very proud of the novel, "A Change of State," which he and daughter, Tia, collaborated on and published.
Paul spent his later years, at his Turkey Track Ranch in the Capay Valley where he, his friends, and family all enjoyed deer hunting, shooting squirrels (fancy-tailed rodents) off the deck or a long ride on an ATV. He liked to be there on his own too, puttering about with his homemade solar power system, fishing and glassing for deer.
Paul and Carol loved to travel in their RV and abroad. Paul's daughter Lisa lived in many beautiful places in Europe and the U.S. They traveled to see her and her family many times; enjoying themselves thoroughly on every trip. England, France, Norway and Belgium were better trips because, "they knew local people."
Another great love was playing golf at the Yolo Fliers Club with his best buddies, Howard Willis, Bud Zane, Ken Nardinelli, Dick Hoppin and Bert Grant. Now he can his re-join his buddy, Al Johnston, on a heavenly golf course where birdies are plenty, bogeys are few and "foot-wedges" are legal. His family and friends will sorely miss his strength, love and wry wit.
Paul is survived by his wife of 61 years, Carol; daughters Lisa Elliott, Tia Elliott Sharp (Eric); son David (Kim Johnston Elliott); sister Wanetta Elliott Tusi; grandchildren Thomas Brasfield (Jordan), Meredith Sharp Heskett (Shane), Kelly Brasfield Cline, Emily Sharp Tozzi (Justin), Patrick Elliott (Rachelle) and Lindsey Elliott; great-grandchildren, Elly Heskett, Austin Heskett, Luke Cline, Ila Cline, Keira Elliott, Beatrice Brasfield, Vivien Brasfield.
There will be no services, as per his request.