Jack Wynn Overholt was born in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1927. He was the son of Kathryn Wynn and Weston Overholt, younger brother of Wes. He spent his formative years in Norwood, PA, attending local schools and graduating from Glen Nor High School. He was in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1945-1949. Those years were spent on the U.S.S. Wisconsin, part of that time as an orderly to Admiral Leahy, Executive Officer, who he had the honor of accompanying to Buckingham Palace where the admiral had a meeting with King George VI.
He then spent two years at Camp Le June in South Carolina. While there, he played on the Camp football team. He was then offered a football scholarship to the University of Maryland where he played center for a year before transferring to Millersville University in Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1953. While there he played football and met his future wife Pat.
After graduation he taught school and coached football and track at Sharon Hill High School in Pennsylvania for 2 ½ years. He was then recruited by Campbell Soup Company to attend their management training program and he began working for the company in Defiance, Ohio and Camden, New Jersey.
He moved to Mrs. Paul’s Seafood where he was in senior management for 3 ½ years. He continued his food company employment with a move to Sara Lee Bakeries in Deerfield, Illinois where he worked for 15 years, before retiring in 1987 as Vice President of Operations. He was a graduate of the American Management Association in New York City.
He and Pat, who had married in 1953 then moved to their home on Jekyll Island which they had bought in 1977. Jack became involved in volunteering with the Restoration Crew in the Historic District. Jack so enjoyed his 10 years working with the JIA Restoration Crew and loved to say there was not a building in the historic district that he did not put a gallon of paint or a pound of epoxy on. He also volunteered at the Turtle Center and was Treasurer for the Jekyll Island Citizen’s Association, President of the Men’s Golf Association and worked at the local courses, and was on the board of the Museum Associates on Jekyll Island. He worked as a coordinator for Elderhostel Programs for Mercer University with wife Pat and served as a Eucharistic minister for St. Francis Mission on Jekyll Island. Of all of his Jekyll Island activities, he particularly enjoyed the friends and fellowship that Jekyll Island golf provided, as well as his countless hours on the Jekyll Island bike paths. These activities, along with fishing, brought him great joy.
The most profound joy in Jack’s life was the gift of time with his family. There was not a day that went by that he was not enjoying family memories or looking forward to the next family occasion. Jack was predeceased by his parents, Weston and Kathryn Overholt; brother, Wes Overholt; daughter in law, Julie Overholt and grandson Jake Tull. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 67 years, Pat; son David and his wife Selena of Riverton, Utah; daughter Susan of Little Rock, Arkansas and daughter Katie Dodillet and her husband Dan of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Left to cherish his memory are nine grandchildren; Sean and his wife Mekensy, Patrick, Kate, Sara Grace, and Wynn of Utah; Kathryn and her husband Sam of Arkansas; and Grace, Jack, and William of Illinois. Jack is also survived by six great granddaughters: Lucy, Stella, Eden, Jules, Monroe and Pyper.
A celebration of Jack’s life is currently being planned for the summer of 2021. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in Jack’s memory to the following organizations:
Jake Tull Memorial Scholarship at University of the Ozarks
Attn: Development Office
University of the Ozarks
415 North College
Clarksville, AR 72830
800-264-8636
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
909 N. Washington Street
Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.549.0060
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