Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 21, 2003

The 80th annual OVERHOLTZER reunion was held Sunday, Augut 3, 2003 at the Tingley Community Building, Cleone HOSFIELD, John OVERHOLTZER and Jenesse TULL hosted the event. They are the children of Floyd and Ava OVERHOLTZER.

David OVERHOLTZER returned thanks. A potluck dinner which included home grown sweet corn from the garden of Doug and Joyce FROST and three freezers of homemade ice cream were enjoyed by 65 relatives and friends.

After dinner a talent show was presented. Enjoyed by everyone were piano solos by Maddie OVERHOLTZER, Ellen OVERHOLTZER and Katie OVERHOLTZER. Christian OVERHOLTZER played some songs on his fiddle. A "meller-drammer" was presented by the family of Joyce OVERHOLTZER SCOTT. All of the children present used hand puppets to tell the history of the OVERHOLTZER reunions from the first one held on the banks of the Grand River. The skit was written by John F. and Mary OVERHOLTZER. To conclude the program, Vickie SOWERS on the accordion and Harold BROWN with his harmonica entertained the group. The program ended with everyone present singing "God Bless America."

John OVERHOLTZER presided over the business meeting. Secretary-Treasurer Jenesse TULL read the minutes and gave the treasurer's report. She was retained as secretary for another year. Vicki and Terry SOWERS volunteered to be host and hostess for the next reunion on the first Sunday of August 2004 at the Tingley Community Building.

Letters were read from Virginia LUTHER HILMAN and Richard OVERHOTLZER.

Prizes were awarded to Jim OVERHOLTZER for having the most people in his family with Christian as part of their name; to O'Neal SCOTT for being the oldest person married to an OVERHOLTZER; to Cindy and Dana ODDO for coming the farthest; to Jenesse TULL for having four generations of her family present; to Joyce and O'Neal SCOTT for being married the longest; and to Harold and Eloise BROWN and John and Mary OVERHOLTZER for providing ice cream. Katie OVERHOLTZER won the prize for guessing closest to the number of candy pieces in a jar. Christian OVERHOLTZER and Jacob OVERHOLTZER tied for second and also received a prize.

John OVERHOLTZER had set up a display of pictures taken of the reunion he had attended in Pennsylvania last summer. He also had pictures of the OVERHOLTZER cemetery near Emmitsberg, MD and of Devils Den near Gettysburg, PA where reunions had been held in earlier years. John and Mary had attended Grace MILLIGAN'S 100th birthday party in May and had a picture of her at the party that was held for her.

Births recorded were a daughter, Payton Deann, to Tara and Cory LUTHER on Nov. 14, 2002; a son, Adrian Alexander, to Gordie and Shawna (SCOTT) HARTSHORN on May 8, 2003; and a daughter, Chyler Diane, to John and Courtney (SCOTT) WELCH on May 17, 2003.

Deaths recorded were Dwayne E. OVERHOLTZER on Dec. 7, 2002; Merna McDOWELL on Jan. 13, 2003; and Ruth OVERHOLTZER MYERS on June 21, 2003.

The following people were present for the reunion:

Mildred LUCE and Gerald LUCE of Decatur; Dick and Lenore OVERHOLTZER of Weldon; Jim and Lila OVERHOLTZER, Jeanine GREENE, Justin and Jess FROST, Sadie and Dawson and Cleone HOSFIELD, all of Mount Ayr; Jim and Jackie LUTHER of Creston; Martel and Beverly POORE of Des Moines; Glen POORE of Osceola; David and Revonda SCOTT of Dunnegan, MO; Danny and Lisa SCOTT, Terry and Vickie SOWERS and O'Neal and Joyce SCOTT, all of Bolivar, MO; Debbie JENKINS of Kansas City, MO; Roger and Joni ROBINSON and Heather, James MINCHER and Debbie KAKLEVIC, all of Overland Park, KS; Jeff BROWN, Bret and Eileen OVERHOLTZER, Katie and Jacob, all of Lenexa, KS; Rosemary OVERHOLTZER, David and Suzanne OVERHOLTZER, Maddie, Ellen, Olivia and McAlister, all of Council Bluffs; Doug, Joyce and Jolene FROST of Kellerton; Cindy and Dana ODDO of Crystal Lake, IL; Bob, Jenifer and Jana JOHNSON; Matt SHERER, John A. and Mary K. OVERHOLTZER, Christian and Christiana, Richard JOHNSON, John F. and Mary OVERHOLTZER, Harold and Eloie BROWN, Clair and Donna HEYER and Howard and Jenesse TULL, all of Tingley.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2012