Dixie Overman

Dixie Haywood Overman was born February 23, 1911 in Newtown, Missouri. He was the son of James S. and Maude (Brantley) Overman. Dixie moved with his family at the age of ten to Cleveland, Oklahoma. Shortly after arriving in Cleveland, Dixie was baptized into the family of Christ at the First Christian Church. He attended school here, graduating from Cleveland High School in 1929. While attending high school, he was active in football, basketball and track and was a star athlete.

Upon graduation, Dixie attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa for a couple of years and then the University of Oklahoma, majoring in business. He then returned to Cleveland and was elected as Pawnee County Clerk. Serving from 1935 to 1941. While working in Pawnee, he met and then later married Esther Ruth Kerr on March 21, 1935. The couple had two daughters, Ann and Carole. In 1941, Dixie took over the Overman Insurance Agency, which had been operated by his father, and remained active for over fifty years. Upon his retirement, He continued to drop by the office and the boardroom in the back of Bayouth's Department Store until the time of his death.

As a faithful member of the First Christian Church for nearly eighty-two years, Dixie has served in numerous capacities including: Elder, Chairman of the Board and Sunday School teacher. He taught the high school class for many years, the young married class and then eventually taught the same class his mother had taught for over forty years, the Whatsoever Class.

Dixie has always been active in the Cleveland community, serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce in 1955, and was on the Board of Directors for the Cleveland Bank for many years. Additionally, Dixie served as finance co-chairman during the drive to raise funds for construction of the Cleveland Area Hospital. He also served as chairman of the Cleveland Planning Commission and was active in the Kiwanis Club. He loved to watch the University of Oklahoma Sooners and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He traveled many times with his friends to fish in Canada and Mexico and enjoyed hunting for quail and pheasant.

Dixie passed away on Monday, May 19, 2003 at the Cleveland Area Hospital at the age of ninety two years, two months and twenty-six days. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Lee; and his wife, Esther Ruth on November 22, 1988

He is survived by two daughters; Ann and her husband, Dick Risinger of Cleveland, and Carole Overman of Tulsa; three grandchildren, John Risinger of Wichita, KS., Tracy and Darrell Downs of Claremore, OK., and Lance Risinger of Dallas, Texas; and five great-grandsons, Jordan and Evan Risinger, both of Wichita, Kansas; Grant, Jackson and Mason Downs, all of Claremore, OK.

A private family committal service will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, May 22, 2003 at the Woodland Cemetery. Funeral services will he held at 10:30 am, Thursday at the First Christian Church with Dakota Rush and Ronnie Epps officiating. Arrangement where under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online obituary and guestbook for Dixie Overman at www.chapman-black.com.''