ERNEST OLAF OVERLAND 1920-2000

SMESTAD, OVERLAND, HUEBNER, DICKSON, SCHUYLER

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 10/22/2009 at 18:21:41

Ernest Olaf Overland died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000 at Rapid City, South Dakota Regional Hospital.

He was born July 15, 1920 in Bratsberg, Norway township, Fillmore County, Minnesota to Edward J. and Olga Caroline (Smestad) Overland. Ernie was baptized in the Norwegian language at Highland Prairie Lutheran Church in Bratsberg. He attended elementary schools in Rushford, Bratsberg and Winona, Minn., and Springfield Rural School near Postville, Iowa. He graduated in 1938 from Postville Public High School. He obtained a BA degree from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1942, where he majored in biology and chemistry.

Ernest married Shirley Mae Huebner on Sept. 19, 1942, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Postville, the church where they were both confirmed. Ernest and Shirley had three children, Dianne Elizabeth, Mary Lee, and Deborah Jo.

Following his college graduation, he was employed by E. E. DuPont de Nemours of Kankakee Ordinance Works, Juliet, Ill., where he served as a chemist in the manufacture of explosives. In April 1944, he enlisted in the US Navy and completed basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station. He served as a metallurgical chemist at Alameda Naval Station, Calif. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He completed one year of graduate school at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He then entered the field of pharmaceutical sales which became his life's career. He was employed by Gland-O-Lac Company of Omaha and Ciba Pharmaceutical Animal Heath Division of Omaha. Ernest was promoted to national sales manager as a result of his outstanding sales leadership. When the company requested he accept a promotion to Ciba corporate headquarters in Summit, NJ, he refused to transfer. Ernest returned to Huron, SD where he was employed as salesperson for Cuddy Farms Turkey Division.

Ernest was active in church work by serving as an adult Sunday school teacher and senior high school youth teacher in Omaha. In addition, he served on the board of trustees for the American Lutheran Council in Huron. He was also active in Alcoholics Anonymous' 12-step work, helping others to gain sobriety.

His hobbies were trout fishing and reading. He continually strived to increase in knowledge and keep up with current affairs, even with declining vision due to macular degeneration. He utilized the talking books made available through the South Dakota Office for Visually Impaired and State Library.

On June 18, 1982, he was involved in an auto-semi-tanker truck accident, through no fault of his own. Medical doctors advised him, because of the serious extent of internal bodily injury, he would no longer be able to continue employment. He then retired, with his wife, Shirley, to Custer in February 1983.

Ernie was a member of the American Legion; Alcoholics Anonymous, since 1958; and Custer Lutheran Fellowship Congregation.

Ernest is survived by his wife, Shirley of Custer; Mary Overland, daughter and Richard Sitts of Black Hawk; Mary's daughter, Heidi Slattum and her husband, Karl, and their son, Bjorn, of Westlake Village, Calif., and her son, Jeremy Peterson and his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter, Alexis, of Loveland, Colo.; Deborah, daughter and her husband, Daryl Dickson, M.D., of Piedmont, S. D. and their three children, Josie of Chadron (Neb.) State College, Noah and Kaiya, also of Piedmont; niece Pam McAloon and her two daughters, Alissa and Nicole, of Huron; one brother, James Overland and his wife, Margaret, of Postville; sister-in-law, Blanche Overland of Decorah, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Dianne; a sister, Geneva Schuyler, and a brother, Robert N. Overland, DVM.

Funeral services were Friday, Sept. 29, 2000 at the Custer Lutheran Fellowship Church. Graveside services were Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000 at Riverside Cemetery in Huron.

Postville Herald-Leader newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.
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