MOUNT VERNON – In June 1941, when he was 23 years old, Neil Overly’s country called him to serve.
On Sunday, he will turn 102 years old at Ohio Eastern Star Home in Mount Vernon, one of a generation of U.S. veterans who are quickly fading into history.
After entering the Army, Neil spent four years and three months serving. He crossed France and Germany as a motor supply sergeant in a headquarters company of the 20th Armored Division and was in Wasserburg near the end of the war.
Larry Overly, Neil’s son, recalls a photo of his father standing on the front porch of Hitler’s frontline headquarters at Wasserburg. Neil has never talked much about his time in the service, though Larry said he does know Neil was assigned to a .50 caliber machine-gun team at some point during the war.
When Neil has talked about the war, it's mostly been about the areas he saw in Europe, Larry said.
Overly married Vyvyan Bell on Jan. 8, 1942, and they raised three sons and shared 73 years. She passed away in 2015.
After the war, Overly returned home to the fields of his native Ohio, where he farmed 300 acres until almost the age of 90, David Merrin, a fellow member of American Legion Post 500, said.
“He’s got a lot of vim and vigor,” Merrin said.
Larry said that Neil’s passions included golf, bowling, table tennis— in which he was Ohio champion— and fishing at Rice Lake in Ontario.
“He likes people— he’s very friendly that way,” Larry said.
Neil and Vyvyan were active members of the Middlebury Grange and the Wally Byam Airstream Club in Marion, Larry said.
Merrin remarked that Overly is always happy to converse.
“He’ll talk to you about anything,” Merrin said. “He’s just a conversationalist.”
Merrin, a fellow Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, also said that Overly is patriotic.
“He likes to observe the things that make America great— the flag, the service,” Merrin said.
Merrin said he hopes the country never forgets what we owe veterans such as Neil— not just the sacrifices of Neil and others who served and returned home, but also Overly’s comrades who never returned.
“Somebody oughta’ remember that,” Merrin said. “We need to hang onto this, because it’s going to go away if somebody doesn’t hang onto it. ... The old thing about, ‘Lest we forget,’ that’s the best I can say.”
While Larry Overly said that COVID-19 restrictions will limit the celebrations for his father’s birthday on Sunday, community members who wish to help Neil celebrate his 102nd year may mail cards and well-wishes, addressed to Neil Overly, Ohio Eastern Star Home, 1451 Gambier Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050.
