Sarah Louise Overholt

Sarah (Sally) Louise Overholt was born on June 29, 1934, in Columbus, OH, to Edgar Theodore and Sarah Adeline (Alden) Opp, the second of three sisters. She attended Heidelberg University along with her sisters, JoAn and Sylvia. Sally met her husband Tom at Heidelberg, and they were married on June 15, 1957. Following college, they moved to Chicago, where Sally taught school and supported the family while Tom finished graduate studies, and they had two sons, Michael and Peter. 

While the boys were young, Sally was a full-time homemaker, and she returned to teaching in the Tomorrow River Schools in Amherst, WI, in 1977. She taught 3rd grade, and she earned her master’s degree from UWSP in 1982. Sally loved teaching, and true to herself, dedicated considerable time and energy to providing her students with the best classroom experience possible. She retired in 1993.         

Sally enjoyed friends and family, trips to the lake in Minnesota, and her book club; a loyal friend, she stayed in contact with a group of round-robin Heidelberg alumni throughout her life. Sally loved being a grandmother. For the grandchildren, going to see “Grandmum” was always a treat, and she made everyone feel special. Sally took each of her grandchildren on a big trip; first with Tom to Alaska and England, and on her own to Canada, Alaska, and Oregon. She was active in the League of Women voters for most of her adult life, she supported many charitable causes over the years, and she served on the board for the Friends of the Mead/McMillan Wildlife Areas.

Sally died peacefully on Earth Day, April 22, 2024, in her residence, and will be missed deeply by those who knew her. She is survived by her sister, Sylvia Darmour (Boulder, CO); two sons, Michael William Overholt (Kim, nee Zalewski) of Holmen, WI, and Peter Thomas Overholt (Gail, nee Epping) of Madison, WI; grand-children: Ben Overholt, Megan Overholt (Kyle Manley), Annie Creed (Brendan), Maggie Overholt, and Sarah Overholt; and great-grandson, Maurice (Moe) Creed. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Tom; her parents; and her sister, JoAn.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Wisconsin League of Women Voters Stevens Point Area (https://lwvspa.clubexpress.com) or Heidelberg University Fund, Student Scholarships, and Financial Aid (www.heidelberg.edu/alumni/giving-options).