Nov. 18, 1931-Dec. 30, 2018
Age: 87
Residence: Greeley
Gene passed away at home after a battle with Alzheimer’s, in the loving care of his family. He was born in Fort Morgan as the eldest son of Roy and Edna (Southard) Overturf. He grew up on Walnut St. with younger siblings Jack, Joe and Carole; who dug their own basement to beat the summer heat. Gene wrestled and drove the bus in high school including a brief drag race with another school bus across the Rainbow Bridge (it was a tie). Gene’s interest in flying resulted from watching WWII training flights of T6 (“Texan”) training planes in the nearby flight zone east of town. He was so enthralled he worked for a crop duster flying Stearman biplanes loading chemicals, and rode in the spray hopper for his first ride. The family eventually bought a restaurant called the ‘66 Cafe’, managed by Gene in the mornings (Jack in the afternoons) while their dad recovered from a burned hand; and his breakfasts of buttermilk pancakes fed the local oil patch and I-76 interstate construction men starting at 5:30 a.m. Gene attended Greeley for college (Colorado State College of Education - CSCE) as a Tau Kappa Epsilon member (Tekes) with his brother Jack, at the same grade level. The military couldn’t help Gene’s flat feet when he applied for service; however, Gene met his future bride by asking another girl pal to get a phone number from another really pretty girl in line. Jean Elizabeth Sheppard began dating Gene in a 1954 summer of love, exchanging almost a letter a day between Denver and Fort Morgan on the Railway Post Office, timing letters to catch the trains. Gene and Jean courted at Lakeside and Elitch Gardens in Denver until he got tired of sleeping in her father’s garage, and they secretly planned a Sept. 5th wedding. They were married at the Berkely Baptist Church in Denver on Quitman. Gene’s Art degree helped him get part time work in Greeley, and with a teaching certificate the newlyweds went to Hoxie, Kansas where Gene taught Industrial Arts, becoming a new dad the next June (mom taught English). The Overturfs returned to Greeley and Gene worked for Nelson, Haley, Patterson & Quirk, plus did private advertising, commercial art and drafting, including platting two developments in Alles Acres around their home and drafting house plans. Gene and Jean eventually had five boys and one girl, Mary, who passed away in June 1988, working at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. Gene is now thankfully reunited with his daughter Mary. His life insurance career started with matriculation for Certified Life Underwriter (CLU) with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee, Wis. Gene was a Million Dollar Round Table producer and sold retirement plans and group health coverage for 45 years at 1115 - 11th St., with his son Kurt in a house (now preserved along 35th Ave.). Trips to the NML summer annual meetings included stops at Oshkosh, Wis. for the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, and grand tours of the United States from Atlantic to Pacific, Mexico and Canada by motor home including canoeing. Gene served on the Weld County Airport board and flew planes with sons Mark and Greg in Blue Sky Flyers, designing the club logo. He was a district agent for NML in both Greeley and Fort Collins. Gene loved to be at his office early in the morning, and get haircuts at Hattie’s barbershop. Gene and his siblings hunted, fished and celebrated 4th of July in Fort Morgan every other year, attending Glen Miller Days at the airport.
Gene is survived by his spouse, Jean; brother, John ‘Jack’ (Lin) Overturf; sister, Carole (Les) Hoff; sons, Mark (Debbie), Dirk (Kim), Greg (Jessica), Eric (Karla), and Kurt; and a large extended loving family.
Gene is preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Edna Overturf; brother, Joe Overturf; and daughter, Mary Overturf.
Life Celebration Service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at Allnutt Macy Chapel, 702 13th St., Greeley. Graveside services following at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 3400 28th St., for the family only.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Salvation Army.
Please visit www.allnuttgreeley.com to send condolences to the family.
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