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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and inspiring life drew to a close with the |
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death of beloved Austin supercentenarian Richard A. Overton on |
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December 27, 2018, at the age of 112; and |
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WHEREAS, The grandson of slaves, Richard Overton was born to |
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Gentry Overton Sr. and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Franklin in St. Mary's |
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Colony in Bastrop County on May 11, 1906; he grew up with three |
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brothers, Hilliard, Irwin, and Gentry, and six sisters, Annie, |
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Lola, Dora, Lillie Mae, Tenola, and Geneva; a hard worker, he held |
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numerous jobs in his youth, from landscaper and homebuilder to |
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furniture store employee; after enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942, |
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he was deployed to the Pacific theater; his all-African American |
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battalion, the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion, helped free the |
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island of Angaur from Japanese forces; he was recognized for his |
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expert marksmanship and attained the rank of corporal; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Overton returned to Austin in 1945 and built a |
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house on Hamilton Avenue, where he resided for the rest of his life; |
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he went back to work in the furniture business, and for many years |
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he was employed by the Texas Treasury Department; while Ann |
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Richards led the agency, the gregarious veteran formed a friendship |
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with the future governor, and he liked driving huge deposits to the |
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bank in a golf cart; he kept busy selling fruit and mowing lawns as |
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well; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his retirement, Mr. Overton became a |
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local legend, watching over his neighbors and greeting them from |
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his front porch; his circle of admirers continued to widen, and in |
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2013, he was lauded by President Barack Obama at a Veterans Day |
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ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery; that same year, the Austin |
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City Council proclaimed his birthday Richard A. Overton Day, and in |
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2017 the city conferred the honorary name Richard Overton Avenue on |
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his block; when Governor Greg Abbott presented the Overton family |
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with a Texas flag in Mr. Overton's honor, he shared stories of how |
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the centenarian had challenged him to a wheelchair race; in his |
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later years, Mr. Overton continued to enjoy attending Shoreline |
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Church, caring for his cats, and indulging in whiskey, coffee, ice |
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cream, and cigars, and he happily welcomed visitors from near and |
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far to his front-yard birthday parties; and |
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WHEREAS, Richard Overton gained international fame as the |
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oldest living U.S. veteran, but it was his charm, wit, kindness, and |
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optimism that won the hearts of his fellow Texans, and he will be |
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remembered with great admiration and affection by all who were |
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fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Richard A. Overton and |
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extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Richard A. |
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Overton. |