1988-89 KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, REMEMBERED
JULIE SAETRE | APR 11, 2023
Gene R. Overholt, 1988-89 Kiwanis International president, died Friday, March 31, 2023, at the age of 99.
Overholt’s first experience with Kiwanis was as a high school senior in 1942, when he received a Kiwanis Built Forever honorary scholarship award from the Kiwanis Club of Huntington, Indiana, U.S. He officially joined the Kiwanis family in 1967 as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth in Plymouth, Michigan, U.S.
Overholt’s first experience with Kiwanis was as a high school senior in 1942, when he received a Kiwanis Built Forever honorary scholarship award from the Kiwanis Club of Huntington, Indiana, U.S. He officially joined the Kiwanis family in 1967 as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth in Plymouth, Michigan, U.S.
As Kiwanis International president, Overholt encouraged the Kiwanis family to “achieve by believing.” He sought to ensure the development of the potential in young people, grow Kiwanis clubs so that all communities would have the opportunity to experience Kiwanis service, and help Kiwanians develop friendships, experience fellowship and feel a sense of belonging in the Kiwanis family.
“Kiwanians who feel that they truly belong to their club probably will remain Kiwanians for life,” he stressed in 1988.
Overholt served as the Colonial Plymouth Kiwanis Club president (1970-71), Michigan District lieutenant governor (1973-74), Michigan District governor (1977-78) and treasurer of the Kiwanis International Board (1986-87). He was closely involved with the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation. The Kiwanis clubs in Division 9 presented him with a Kiwanis International Life Fellow Award, and the Colonial Plymouth Kiwanis Club designated him a Distinguished Kiwanian of the Michigan District in 1978. In Kiwanis International, he was a George F. Hixson Fellow and Tablet of Honor recipient.
“He was an A-1 Kiwanian,” said William “Bill” Lieber, Kiwanis International president in 1992-93. “He represented the organization well.”
Lieber and Overholt met through Kiwanis and the two bonded immediately over their shared Indiana roots. “He was always proud of his Indiana heritage,” Lieber said, “and that came across in the way he spoke with people. He didn’t talk down to people. He was sincere. He had a very outgoing personality. We hit it off immediately, and we became lifelong friends.”
Overholt continued to serve his entire life. He helped develop the Salvation Army in Plymouth in 1962 and served on its board until his death. He was a member of the Plymouth United Methodist Church and served in many capacities over the years. He was a trustee of Plymouth Township during the 1960s and has been inducted into the Plymouth Hall of Fame.
Overholt worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Company (a subsidiary of AT&T), where he worked his way up through the executive ranks. He worked in management positions relating to research and development until his retirement.
Originally from Bippus, Indiana, U.S., Overholt was a high school athlete in football and basketball, and he later redirected those competitive skills into the corporate world and the challenges of community service. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps after high school graduation and attended California’s Stanford University, where he studied electrical engineering. He served in the European theater and the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, after which he moved with his wife, Jane, to Plymouth. The two were married 69 years when Jean passed in 2013.
Jane was also committed to service and was known as “Kiwanis First Lady” during Overholt’s international presidency. The pair traveled to 40 different countries visiting heads of state and Kiwanis clubs around the world. Overholt founded the Gene & Jane Overholt Educational Scholarship Foundation in honor of his three daughters who were teachers in the Plymouth-Canton School District. The scholarships honor graduating seniors within the district who are planning to go into education or any other service profession.
Overholt enjoyed his favorite pastime, golf, as well as fishing, hunting, following a variety of sports and spending time with his wife, daughters and grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Jane, and survived by his daughters Jodi Overholt Ring, Barbara Overholt Toth and Carole Overholt Brooks, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Gene R. Overholt
1988-89 KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, REMEMBERED
JULIE SAETRE | APR 11, 2023
Gene R. Overholt, 1988-89 Kiwanis International president, died Friday, March 31, 2023, at the age of 99.
Overholt’s first experience with Kiwanis was as a high school senior in 1942, when he received a Kiwanis Built Forever honorary scholarship award from the Kiwanis Club of Huntington, Indiana, U.S. He officially joined the Kiwanis family in 1967 as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth in Plymouth, Michigan, U.S.
Overholt’s first experience with Kiwanis was as a high school senior in 1942, when he received a Kiwanis Built Forever honorary scholarship award from the Kiwanis Club of Huntington, Indiana, U.S. He officially joined the Kiwanis family in 1967 as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Colonial Plymouth in Plymouth, Michigan, U.S.
As Kiwanis International president, Overholt encouraged the Kiwanis family to “achieve by believing.” He sought to ensure the development of the potential in young people, grow Kiwanis clubs so that all communities would have the opportunity to experience Kiwanis service, and help Kiwanians develop friendships, experience fellowship and feel a sense of belonging in the Kiwanis family.
“Kiwanians who feel that they truly belong to their club probably will remain Kiwanians for life,” he stressed in 1988.
Overholt served as the Colonial Plymouth Kiwanis Club president (1970-71), Michigan District lieutenant governor (1973-74), Michigan District governor (1977-78) and treasurer of the Kiwanis International Board (1986-87). He was closely involved with the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation. The Kiwanis clubs in Division 9 presented him with a Kiwanis International Life Fellow Award, and the Colonial Plymouth Kiwanis Club designated him a Distinguished Kiwanian of the Michigan District in 1978. In Kiwanis International, he was a George F. Hixson Fellow and Tablet of Honor recipient.
“He was an A-1 Kiwanian,” said William “Bill” Lieber, Kiwanis International president in 1992-93. “He represented the organization well.”
Lieber and Overholt met through Kiwanis and the two bonded immediately over their shared Indiana roots. “He was always proud of his Indiana heritage,” Lieber said, “and that came across in the way he spoke with people. He didn’t talk down to people. He was sincere. He had a very outgoing personality. We hit it off immediately, and we became lifelong friends.”
Overholt continued to serve his entire life. He helped develop the Salvation Army in Plymouth in 1962 and served on its board until his death. He was a member of the Plymouth United Methodist Church and served in many capacities over the years. He was a trustee of Plymouth Township during the 1960s and has been inducted into the Plymouth Hall of Fame.
Overholt worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Company (a subsidiary of AT&T), where he worked his way up through the executive ranks. He worked in management positions relating to research and development until his retirement.
Originally from Bippus, Indiana, U.S., Overholt was a high school athlete in football and basketball, and he later redirected those competitive skills into the corporate world and the challenges of community service. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps after high school graduation and attended California’s Stanford University, where he studied electrical engineering. He served in the European theater and the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, after which he moved with his wife, Jane, to Plymouth. The two were married 69 years when Jean passed in 2013.
Jane was also committed to service and was known as “Kiwanis First Lady” during Overholt’s international presidency. The pair traveled to 40 different countries visiting heads of state and Kiwanis clubs around the world. Overholt founded the Gene & Jane Overholt Educational Scholarship Foundation in honor of his three daughters who were teachers in the Plymouth-Canton School District. The scholarships honor graduating seniors within the district who are planning to go into education or any other service profession.
Overholt enjoyed his favorite pastime, golf, as well as fishing, hunting, following a variety of sports and spending time with his wife, daughters and grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Jane, and survived by his daughters Jodi Overholt Ring, Barbara Overholt Toth and Carole Overholt Brooks, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Gene Overholt: an achiever, a believer
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