Gilbert Junior Overlin was born on 14 June 1925 in Fairburn, Custer Co., SD. He married
, on 13 January 1951 in Mitchellville, Polk Co., IA. Gilbert Junior Overlin died on 28 January 2007 in Mitchellville, Polk Co., IA,
BIOGRAPHY - Janet Marie (Overlin) Wilcox wrote about her father:
Gilbert Junior Overlin was born the seventh of eight children to Gilbert Willard Overlin and Ethel Aleta Scott on June 14, 1925, in Fairburn, South Dakota. I imagine they were poor, as most people during the depression years were. He and his younger sister graduated the same year (1944) because they held my dad back so his sister, Bessie Beryl, didn't have to go to school alone. Pictures show he had unruly curly hair that practically stood straight up. He had blue, blue eyes and a funny little chuckle of a laugh.
He joined the Navy after graduation, and was in Chicago. His father encouraged him and helped him learn the Morse Code so he wouldn't have to go on the battle field. He lost his brother, Floyd James (James was what he actually went by), in WWII, and I believe he wanted to go and get one of the Japs for his brother's life. This is written in some of my dad's personal items. He did learn the Morse Code, and worked in communications in the Navy. He was only in for maybe 2 years. His older brother, Elbert Paul, had came to Iowa before him, and he met my mother's sister, Dorothy Louise DeVault, and they were married in 1946. My mother, Olive Ruth DeVault, appears to have dated my father for about 7 to 8 years before they were married. I assume Elbert introduced them, and the rest was history. They married on January 13, 1951.
Their first son was born on December 9, 1951: Curtis Allen Overlin, February 7, 1953 brought Lyle Gilbert Overlin, September 23, 1954 brought Russell Lee Overlin, December 28, 1956 brought Scott Dean Overlin, and last but not least, I came on May 31, 1959. (Janet Marie Overlin)
We lived in Valeria, Iowa, until I was about nine months old, and then moved in with our Grandmother as Grandfather had died in February 1958 (Edward Monroe DeVault), and my dad helped farm the land. We then lived in rural Mitchellville, Iowa, in Grandma's house until December of 1969. My mom and dad purchased a 40 acre farm from Jack and Doris Reynolds just to the SW of Grandma's place. My mom always wanted a house with a fireplace, and I think since she was born and raised in that same area, she knew that house, and wanted it. They paid $40,000 for it, and my dad paid it off as soon as he could because he didn't want to pay the banker's interest. He sold every piece of livestock he had to pay off the mortgage. My dad did not like to owe anyone money, or lend anyone money, or pay interest. If he couldn't afford to buy something, he saved for it and paid cash. He was very private about his finances. Mom, on the other hand, loved to spend money. She always had dresses, shoes, and purses that I played with when I was little. High heel shoes that I wouldn't dream of wearing now were plentiful in her closet. I also inherited her love of sweets and chocolate.
Dad started making home brew in the 70's and also grew a beard for the bicentennial. Mom hated both. He also made jams and jellies. He would take his home brew around at Christmas time to neighbors, the CO-OP guys, and also to the bank. Many looked forward to his gifts, and others were detested by it, but I think they graciously accepted the wine, but probably poured it out later.
Mom died May 5, 1984, of a second heart attack. She had had one previously in April of 1978. Dad was lonely and began trying to date over the WHO radio station. Russell lived at home at this time mostly, he had job after job, and mostly drove semis. He also tried his luck at the dating game. He and Scott never really had a interest in girls. Dad dated several women, but none seemed to be the right one. I think he was just so devastated by Mom's death that he would never find another like her. He deeply regretted some of the ways he treated her but didn't realize how much he loved her until it was too late. He remarried in 1986 and was married to Naomi Lee Wright Lawr until their deaths in January 2007. Naomi was an over-bearing woman that drove Russell crazy. Dad never stuck up for him, and hate grew for the both of them. Russell always had trouble keeping a job, every since he was a teenager. Mom helped him when she could. He tried lots of business endeavors, but he failed at all of them.
Russell reached his breaking point a few years ago (today is 10-08-2007) and decided the only way out for him was to kill Naomi and our dad. He did this on January 28, 2007, at Dad's farm right as they got home from church. He beat them to death with an aluminum baseball bat and dumped their bodies in a cistern in the back yard. They weren't discovered until Feb. 1st, and then all Hell broke loose. He had left the state and wasn't found until Feb. 9th. We buried Dad and Naomi on Feb. 7th, Lyle's birthday. IT WAS COLD!!!
Lyle was going through his own personal problems at this time. He had been accused of and admitted to some degree of child molestation of his own adopted children. He turned himself in to the police the following week after the family left. His ordeal had been going on since about the year 2000.
Russell is serving two life sentences in Iowa's State Penitentiary at Anamosa. Lyle is serving 45 years at the Oakdale Classification Center near Coralville, Iowa.
OBITUARY - Des Moines Register, February 06, 2007, page 5-B,
GILBERT J. OVERLIN
Mitchellville, Iowa
GILBERT J. OVERLIN, 81, died Thursday, February 1, 2007, at his home. Funeral services will be held Noon Wednesday, February 7, 2007, at Berean Assembly of God Church, 5225 Maple Drive, with burial at MITCHELLVILLE CEMETERY, Mitchellville, Polk County, Iowa. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m. with family present from 5 to 8 p.m. at Hamilton's Mitchellville Funeral Home, 303 Center Avenue South.
Gilbert was born on June 14, 1925 to GILBERT W. & ALETA OVERLIN. He was raised and graduated from High School in Fairburn, South Dakota. He served his country in the U S Navy during WORLD WAR II. Gilbert was united in marriage to OLIVE RUTH DeVAULT on January 13, 1951, in Mitchellville, Iowa. He was later united in marriage to NAOMI WRIGHT in 1985. He was a member Methodist Church in Mitchellville, Iowa. Gilbert farmed in the Colfax/Mitchellville, Iowa area for many years; He enjoyed playing his fiddle and playing horseshoes.
Gilbert is survived by CHILDREN: Curtis (Cheryl) OVERLIN; Lyle (Janet) OVERLIN; Russell OVERLIN; Scott OVERLIN; Janet (John) WILCOX; GRANDCHILDREN: Andrew; Matthew; Merrill; Tony; Christina; Anjie; Amanda; Julie; Karissa; GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: Zachary; Lucas; and Kalea; several STEP-CHILDREN and STEP-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN; BROTHER: Edgar OVERLIN; SISTER: Lela GORSUCH; Marie GORSUCH; Beryl MYHILL. He was preceded in death by his PARENTS: ALETA and GILBERT W. OVERLIN; FIRST WIFE: OLIVE RUTH DeVAULT in 1984; BROTHERS: James; Darrell; and Elbert.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Methodist Church in Mitchellville, Iowa.