David Overhouse (December 15, 1945 - January 5, 2013). After graduating from Okemos High School, 1964, Dave attended the University of Minnesota on a Naval ROTC scholarship. He was a 4 year member of the Minnesota Marching Band. After graduation, he served in the US Navy with posting in Viet Nam. While there, he was exposed to "agent orange", a defoliant used to clear the river banks of foliage where the Viet Cong would wait in ambush of navy vessels patrolling the rivers.
Upon return from duty in Viet Nam, Dave continued his musical interests, marching with the Marine Band in the Rose Parade. After leaving the Navy, Dave was instrumental in securing medical benefits for service men exposed to agent orange in Viet Nam. He partcipated in several clinical studies which established the correlation between certain diseases and agent orange. The studies also determined that a contaminant in the agent organge was responsible for causing certain diseases.
Dave represented our class at the presentation of two plaques to the High School in May, 2012. A video of Dave's presentation can be found by clicking here.
Dave never married. A sister, Judy Lawrence, preceded him in death in 2006.
June 19, 2013 addendum:
From Gary Sturk who spoke with one of Dave's neighbors who had the following information:
PLEASE COME TOGETHER TO
HONOR THE LIFE OF
JOHN DAVID OVERHOUSE
LIEUTENANT US NAVY
GREAT LAKES
NATIONAL CEMETERY
JULY 26, 2013, 2:30 PM
WITH A CELEBRATION OF DAVE'S LIFE
TO FOLLOW AT THE SUOKAS HOME
9714 NAIAD ROAD
CLARKSON, MI 48348
RSVP: joverhouse@msn.com