I first met Jerry in Spain. Ray & I had met in Seville & my mother & I were invited to spend Easter with Muriel & Jerry who lived in base housing in Rota. Later when Ray was working nights Jerry would pick me up & we would go to the Officers Club to have a drink & play the slot machines. He was never a big talker but I learned a lot about him during those evenings. A few months later I went to live with Muriel & Jerry in California while Ray was at sea & I was new in the US. I have memories of camping trips, Jerry & his dogs, Jerry fishing, always aiming to catch that record breaking bass. Over the years he & Muriel took in me & the kids several times for one reason or another, we were very lucky to be a part of their family. To add to the comments about him being a great father & grandfather I want to add that he was a wonderful Father in Law, a gentle man & a gentleman. I will always remember him with love.
I am heartbroken. You and Muriel were so good to me. You took me in after my mom died and you always treated me like a daughter. Thank you for everything you did for me. Rest In Peace my friend. (Diane French)
One of my best memories is from when I was about 15 and my buddies and I had gone out the night before and I had drunk a bit too much alright way to much and my buddies had to pour me home. The next morning I thought I was in so much trouble and with a major hang over when I got up in the morning. My mom told me my dad want me out in the work shed. Well this is it I thought time to face the music. Well little did I know what I had to face was not a bawling out but Dad had planed a bunch of work that involved hammers, saws and just about every power tool he owned. Now me with a massive headache and probably dehydrated I could not escape. He never said a word about the night before just made me work in that workshop for about 4 hours and he seemed to revel in my pain.
dad and the boys
dad teaching the kids to fish
Dad and Ian
CWO4 Gerald W. Overall was Ponca City native graduating from Ponca City High Scholl in 1959. He joined the US Navy that same year and joined the Navy because the Air Force recruiter was out to lunch. He spent 30+ years in the US Navy rising up as a Maverick through the ranks from an enlisted man to become a Chief Warrant Officer, spending the majority of his career on Air-Craft Carriers such as the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Constellation. He also served on airbases such as Beeville Texas and Rota Spain and he spent a couple years off and on in Vietnam in the mid 60’s where he earned a commendation for setting up an air strip and more. In 1989 he earned the Navy Marine Medal, the highest honor for non-combat service, for his role in saving lives on the USS Constellation. His career was very busy and fulfilling. He even rewrote the firefighting manual for the Navy in the 1980’s at one point.