Obituary: Gene Overman

OVERMAN, Donald E. "Gene"
(Age 86)

Our loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, Gene, passed away Thursday, May 14, 2009. He was born January 6, 1923 in Wenatchee, Washington to Ora and Flora Overman. After graduating from Entiat High School in 1941, he joined the Air Force and was active in training cadets for B-17 and B-24 Bombardier Navigator duty. Upon returning from the Air Force, Gene enrolled and graduated from the University of Washington in 1951 with an Accounting degree. He was hired by the Internal Revenue Service right out of college but soon went to work at the largest privately-owned public warehouse company in Washington, Taylor-Edwards Warehouse and Transfer of Spokane. It wasn't long before he became President and when he finally retired he was owner of the company. He was a Washington State Thoroughbred horse breeder and had many successful track winners. Gene's Angus cattle herd was legendary and he had several top-bred certified Angus cattle that were sold all over the United States. He was a member of the Spokane Valley Rotary for most of his business life and was President of Associated Industries. Gene was a member of Millwood Presbyterian Church. He was well known for his outdoor life of hunting and ranching and never stopped taking advantage of spending those times with his boys and grandchildren. Anyone knowing Gene would remember him as a man of true principles and real integrity (some would almost call it stubbornness). It was reflected in all the things people fondly remember him as. He always had a subtle sense of humor but never let it compromise his beliefs. He will sadly be missed but each and everyone who knew him has a wonderful memory of him that will last a lifetime. Gene was preceded in death by a son Douglas in 2001 and granddaughter Heather in 2001, his brother Charles and his sister Doris. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Alice; son Roger of Spokane and his children Garth and Karly; son Paul and his wife Rosanne of Newman Lake and their children Cassandra and Kayla; deceased son Doug's daughter Andrea; three sisters: Janet Chouzeneoux of Littleton, Colorado, Laura McEachron of Auburn, Washington, and Linda Madsen of Kodiak, Alaska; and five grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 23rd at 11:00 a.m. at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home, 1315 N. Pines Rd., Spokane Valley, Washington.