Dr. John William Overstreet

John William Overstreet, MD, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on November 22, 2011. He was 93 years old. He was born in Pelahatchie Mississippi to Mr. and Mrs. John Overstreet.

John’s parents moved the family to various towns in Mississippi and finally settled in Starkville where he received a BS with honors from Mississippi State. He received his MD from Tulane University School of Medicine, completed an internship at Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago, was an instructor of anatomy and surgery at Tulane Medical School and was a Surgical Fellow at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. In 1953 he moved his family to Houston and began his practice in general and thoracic surgery which continued until his retirement in 1993. For several years he was an instructor in the Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. John practiced at Methodist Hospital in Houston and was Chief of Surgery at Methodist from 1965 until 1993.

During World War II, he was a Lieutenant in the US Navy attached to several Marine divisions. He participated in the Normandy invasion while attached to the 11th Amphibious Fleet, LST #346, and later landed on Iwo Jima with the 5th Marine Division. He received a Bronze Star.

John was an outstanding physician with a great love of people. He was known for his respect for people, compassion and empathy (bedside manner) and thus was loved by his patients as well as the staff with whom he worked. In recognition of these qualities Methodist Hospital awarded him the Excalibur Award and renamed it the John W. Overstreet, MD, Award which is annually given to a Methodist physician who exemplifies these qualities.

When John had time away from his patients, he loved hunting, fishing and most of all, flying. He and his wife had the most relaxing and joyful times of their lives at Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas and at their house in Galveston. John was a devoted father and husband and the rock for his entire extended family. We will sorely miss him.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Statira B. Overstreet, whom he loved deeply. With her he lived up to his promise to love and cherish in sickness and in health.

John is survived by his children and their spouses, Statira Overstreet and her husband Corey Rich, Susie Lindsay and her husband John Lindsay, and his son Bill Overstreet; his granddaughters Statira Wilmoth and her husband Chad, Rianna Szatkowski and her husband Jason, and Gwen Lindsay; his great granddaughter Mia Szatkowski; and his siblings Bolan Overstreet and Susie Overstreet, both of Starkville, Mississippi.

Family and friends are invited to come to 3464 Wickersham Lane between 2 and 5 pm on Saturday November 26 for a gathering to remember a truly outstanding and wonderful man.

John requested that any donations in his memory be made to The Brookwood Community, 1752 FM 1489, Brookshire, Texas 77423 or to a charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Heights Funeral Home,1317 Heights Boulevard, Houston, Texas.