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Dr Edwin L Overholt

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Dr Edwin L Overholt

Birth	:	20 Sep 1923 Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Death	:	24 Sep 2006
Burial	:	Big Canoe Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.4221992, -91.6686020
Description	:	Edwin L. Overholt, M.D., died peacefully Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He was born Sept. 20, 1923, in Chicago to Dr. Edwin M. Overholt and Ruth (Hulquist) Overholt. At age 8, after his father's death, he lived with his mother's sister and husband, Walter and Gladys Forde in Decorah, Iowa. He graduated from Decorah High School in 1942. He attended Morton Junior College in Circero, Ill., for one year and then entered the Navy. Under the auspices of the Navy V-12 Program, he attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. After graduation, he attended the... Read More	Edwin L. Overholt, M.D., died peacefully Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He was born Sept. 20, 1923, in Chicago to Dr. Edwin M. Overholt and Ruth (Hulquist) Overholt. At age 8, after his father's death, he lived with his mother's sister and husband, Walter and Gladys Forde in Decorah, Iowa. He graduated from Decorah High School in 1942. He attended Morton Junior College in Circero, Ill., for one year and then entered the Navy. Under the auspices of the Navy V-12 Program, he attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. After graduation, he attended the University of Iowa School of Medicine and graduated on April 18, 1948. He entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps and was sent to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver for four years of specialty training in internal medicine. This training was interrupted in April 1950 when he was sent on a 90 day temporary tour of duty to Japan. On June 25, 1950, the North Korean Army invaded South Korea. Capt. Overholt was assigned as battalion surgeon to the initial 500 American infantry troops sent from Japan into Korea. On July 5, 1950, at Osan, South Korean, his unit (Task Force Smith)met the heavily armed North Korean Army. They were overrun after six hours of intensive battle. Capt. Overholt's care of the wounded, despite torrential rain and heavy casualties, was later recognized by being awarded the Silver Star, i.e. "Gallantry in Action," and was promoted to major. Upon completion of his training at Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Denver, he was assigned to Landstuhl, Germany, as Initial Cadre of the staff developing a new 1,000 bed hospital - a major medical center. Fifty years later, this hospital remains as the U.S. Army's major hospital in Europe. His next assignment was to a special Army Surgeon General's Research Team at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md., to investigate the defensive aspects of bacteriologic warfare. They successfully increased knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of anthrax, plague and tularemia. They also developed a vaccine which prevented respiratory tularemia. He was next assigned to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as assistant chief of medicine and director of the internal medicine residency training program. He was a medical consultant to the "VIP" ward that cared for President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, members of Congress and several generals, including Gen. Douglas MacArthur. He received the "Legion of Merit" for his performance and was promoted to colonel. He also received an "A" prefix to his service number, indicating "Full Professorship." During this assignment he was one of five Army physicians chosen as medical monitor of Project Mercury. In the role of "Space Surgeon," he worked with all of the astronauts in their training and monitored the suborbital flights of Shepherd and Grissom. Later, from a station in Woomera, Australia, he monitored the flights of Enos the Chimpanzee, John Glenn and Wally Shira. He completed 23 years of service at Fitzsimons General Hospital. As chief of medicine, he directed the training of medical internists. He was recognized as one of the Army's outstanding clinicians and teachers. In the 1960s, the leadership of Gundersen Clinic, in partnership with Lutheran Hospital, recognized that it must become a teaching institution if it hoped to attract qualified specialists. In 1968, Col. Overholt accepted the position as Gundersen Clinicfirst full-time director of medical education and research. A fully accredited medical internship and residencies in internal medicine, general surgery and pediatrics were developed. Over the next 10 years, all the specialties in medicine were successfully recruited, and Gundersen Lutheran became a major medical center with a staff of over 300 physicians. A 130-seat state-of-the-art teaching amphitheater was dedicated to his honor in May 1994 as Overholt Amphitheater. He received many professional awards, among them the Laureate Award from both the Army and Wisconsin chapters of the American Colleges of Physicians. He was elected Wisconsin governor to the American College of Physicians and in that position initiated a state chapter. He was appointed clinical professor, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, and also at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine at Madison. In May 1988, he received an honorary doctor of science degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He married Thelma Amundson on Nov. 24, 1945, at Big Canoe Lutheran Church in Decorah, Iowa. He was blessed in life with her love and devotion. He is survived by his wife and four children, all of whom have careers in medicine, Steven L. (Connie)Overholt, M.D., Stephanie E. Overholt, physical therapist; Kris (Jack) Overholt Arney, medical technologist, and Edwin M. (Amy)Overholt, M.D.; seven grandchildren, Lelsey Overholt Taber, Russell Overholt, Ryan Overholt, Edwin Amund Overholt, Ella Overholt, Cameron Coyle and Meghan Coyle Pearlman; five cousins, Thelma Adomaitis of Fort Myers, Fla., Ruth Mather of Lake Wylie, S.C., Wilbur Forde of Sherwood, Ark., Lowell Forde of Lansing, Iowa, and Bruce Forde of Decorah, Iowa; and several nephews and nieces. He was a faithful member of English Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29, at English Lutheran Church, 1509 King St., La Crosse. Burial will be in Big Canoe Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Decorah, Iowa. Friends may call at the church on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Friday from 10 a.m. to services. Memorials may be directed to the endowment fund for the chair of director of medical education, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation, the Overholt Family Scholarship at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, or the English Lutheran Church Organ Fund. Dickinson Family Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Dr Edwin L Overholt's memorial?
Dr Edwin L Overholt's memorial is located at: Big Canoe Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA.
When did Dr Edwin L Overholt death?
Dr Edwin L Overholt death on 24 Sep 2006 in
Where are the coordinates of the Dr Edwin L Overholt's memorial?
Latitude: 43.4221992
Longitude: -91.6686020

Family Members:

Parent

Edwin M Overholt

(1881 - 1934)

Ruth Aurora Hulquist Clingner

(1899 - 1943)

Spouse

Thelma O. Amundson Overholt

(1924 - 2021)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Big Canoe Lutheran Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4221992, -91.6686020

2. Big Canoe Norwegian Methodist Cemetery
Highlandville, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4220000, -91.6600000

3. Stoen Farm Cemetery
Highland Township, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4333042, -91.6584802

4. Locust Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4211006, -91.7303009

5. Egge Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4682999, -91.6600037

6. Locust Lane Salem Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4077988, -91.7331009

7. Iowa River Cemetery
Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4211006, -91.6010971

8. Highland Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4892006, -91.6703033

9. Canoe Ridge Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3537000, -91.6577000

10. Springwater Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3792000, -91.7431030

11. Hesper Pioneer Cemetery
Hesper, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4610100, -91.7531000

12. Swenson Farm Cemetery
Highland Township, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4916368, -91.6223674

13. Waterloo Ridge Cemetery
Dorchester, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4855614, -91.5999985

14. OHare Place Cemetery
Quandahl, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4083060, -91.5584762

15. Hauge Lutheran Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3922000, -91.7740000

16. Canoe German Methodist Church Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3529000, -91.7358000

17. West Waterloo Ridge Cemetery
Quandahl, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4916371, -91.6001443

18. Hesper Lutheran Cemetery
Hesper, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4829250, -91.7673250

19. Hesper Public Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4840000, -91.7710000

20. Wilson-Smalley Cemetery
Hesper Township, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4432000, -91.7996000

21. Russell Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3608017, -91.7885971

22. Saint Marys Cemetery
Waterloo Township, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4672012, -91.5306015

23. Saint Johns Methodist Cemetery
Dorchester, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4695000, -91.5303000

24. Saint Marys Catholic Church Cemetery
Hanover Township, Allamakee County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3694000, -91.5250015