Born October 4, 1930, Vearl entered a world that over his lifetime would alter and change in dramatic ways. He was born to Ester Edna Piercy Overton and Loy Frank Overton of Broadus, Powder River County, Montana and into a family of 11 brothers and sisters and two cousins adopted by his parents. Their Depression Era life in rural Montana was hard and keeping food on the table for such a large family proved challenging but through hard work and fortitude the family thrived.
Vearl graduated from Flathead County High School in 1949 having played varsity baseball and football. After a year of working in Portland he enlisted in the US Navy in the fall of 1950, was certified as an Engineman-Diesel Mechanic and served in the Korean War receiving an honorable discharge in February, 1952. He returned to the US and moved to Alaska, joining his brother there. He worked various jobs most of which related to his Navy training. In 1953 he entered Montana State College on the G.I. Bill earning a BS in Mathematics and General Science. After graduation he accepted a teaching position at Noxon High School and both his career and his vocation were set teaching high school mathematics for the rest of his professional life; retiring from teaching after 26 years at Benson Polytechnic High School and 32 years teaching overall in 1989.
Vearl met Beryl Ann Handford while they both were attending middle school in Kalispell, Montana. Beryl was not interested in this scruffy boy of questionable reputation and so Vearl bided his time waiting for the right moment. Taking advantage of his enlistment and Beryl’s kind heart he corresponded with her while away at war. They reconnected when he moved back to Montana and were married in 1954. They had four sons together, one whom was still-born, and moved the family from Noxon, Montana to Lakeview, Oregon eventually settling in the Portland area when Vearl took a job teaching in the Portland School District at Washington High School.
The family settled into Northeast Portland, the boys attending Alameda Grade School and Benson Polytechnic High School and the family attending and eventually joining the Fremont United Methodist Church. While the family grew Vearl volunteered as little league coach and worked a wide variety of summer jobs from painters’ helper for the Portland School District to line inspector at Continental Can Company to laying fence for the Bureau of Land Management. He taught nights at Portland Community College and furthered his education by moving the family for a year to Boston and earning a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Boston College. He was dedicated to making sure that his family was provided for and to being an active and involved husband and father making every effort to be present for school programs, teacher conferences, doctor appointments and sporting events.
As a member of the Fremont United Methodist Church Vearl served on many committees, washed many dishes, sang tenor in the choir for years, sold Christmas Trees and served God and his neighbor faithfully, often without recognition just like he wanted it. His faith was always critical to his life and helped him in ways untold. He never preached but his love and care for friends and church family spoke volumes and was a tangible witness to his faith.
Vearl loved to work with wood and to do household projects. Many a vacation was spent building a dormer on the house, putting up a fence, painting, building a deck and many other projects to enhance the house and the family’s life. After retirement Vearl loved to make special pieces of furniture and gifted his sons with handmade oak cradles for rocking the grandchildren to sleep. He had two passions other than his family, one was reading, mostly Louis L'Amour westerns and Science Fiction and Fantasy books. His other love was coins. He collected mostly US coins and gathered a significant collection mostly from trading and paying very close attention to his change. He got bank tellers and store clerks to watch their change for him and family and friends would make cans and boxes of coins his gifts.
After Beryl’s death he was traveling the country, visiting family and friends when in Arkansas he met the other love of his life, Nancy. He was so smitten with her that after his return to Oregon from his trip across the country he stayed only long enough to make sure his things were in order and his home secure and back to Arkansas he went to woo Nancy. They became engaged and were married At Christ United Methodist Church in NW Portland on August 25, 2001. They returned to Arkansas after the wedding to live for a couple years while Nancy cared for her father. After he passed away they pulled up stakes and moved back west settling in the Parkrose area of Portland. Nancy and Vearl had many wonderful trips together, cruises and adventures. Vearl became a beloved part of the lives of Nancy’s children and grandchildren and a fixture in the lives of his children and grandchildren. Eventually they purchased a second home in Netarts, Oregon which has become a place of rest and rejuvenation for the entire family.
Over the last couple of years Vearl suffered from severe back pain, undergoing back surgery in hopes of relieving some of the pain and discomfort. While the surgery helped it didn’t end the pain and Vearl slowly became weaker. With physical limitations and age Vearl and Nancy made the decision in December to sell their home in Parkrose and move into a condo in Beaverton. In February, while suffering from a case of pneumonia, Vearl was diagnosed with lung cancer. Never a smoker this took doctors and family by surprise. Given his weaken state and age he didn’t have much reserve to fight the battle and the cancer took over quickly. He died in his home, with his loving wife Nancy at his side and family and friends surrounding him with love.
Vearl went to be with his Lord on Saturday April 25, 2015; joining the choir of angels and finding rest and peace. He is survived by his wife Nancy R. Overton, His sons Dr. Mark H. Overton of Little River South Carolina, Rev. Timothy L. Overton-Harris of Beaverton Oregon, and Dr. Scott H. Overton of Portland, Oregon; daughters-in-law Rev. Amy J. Overton-Harris and Carole Larson Overton; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, 2 step-sons and a step-daughter, and 5 grandchildren; sister Carrol Overton Massey of Kalispell, Montana, many nieces and nephews and other family and friends.
A Service of Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday May 2, 2015 at Fremont United Methodist Church beginning at 11:00am with a light luncheon reception to follow. In lieu of flowers the family requests you make donations either to the Kaiser Permanente Hospice Program or Fremont United Methodist Church’s Memorial Fund in Vearl’s memory.
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