Wilford Overgaard

1925 - 2015

Wilford E. Overgaard
1925 - 2015
Lt. Col. Wilford (Wil) E. Overgaard, USMC (Ret), age 89, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at the VA Hospital in Sacramento, California. Wilford was the first of twin sons born October 16, 1925 to Elias and Myrtle Overgaard in Dingle, Idaho. He spent his early years in this farming community near Montpelier, Idaho before his father took a job working for the lumber mill at Barber and later moved to Boise in 1932 where his father began work as a Boise City firefighter. Wilford graduated from Boise High School in 1943 where he was Student Body President, played football, basketball, and ran track. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after his 18th birthday and was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines with whom he participated in four landing operations in WWII (Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima). He was discharged from the Marines in November, 1945 and enrolled at Boise Junior College where he played basketball and met his first wife, Adella Christensen, the women's coach at BJC. He enrolled in the University of Idaho in the fall of 1946. While attending the U of I, Wilford and Adella had a daughter, Linda (1948). Wilford played four years of football for the Vandals and played tackle opposite his friend Carl Kiilsgaard. Wilford's son Wil and Carl's son Kjel would enroll at the U of I and play football together 24 years later. He graduated from Idaho and was teaching science and coaching at Moscow High School when he rejoined the Marine Corps in 1950. Wilford completed officer training school and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. He played one season of Marine Corps football in 1951 (again with Kiilsgaard who also rejoined the Marines) in Quantico, Virginia. In 1952, Wilford was sent to Korea where he was a member of C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines whose assignment was to defend "The Hook" along the Main Line of Resistance (MLR). He was awarded a Bronze Star, with valor, for his leadership in reorganizing the company and repelling an enemy force that had infiltrated the unit's position. His son Wil was born while he was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina in 1955. Wilford spent the next 7 years as an infantry company commander while also coaching the base football team that played a small college and military league schedule. His teams won the National Service Title three years and he was named the National Service Coach of the Year by the Washington Touchdown Club in 1961. Wilford had two tours of duty in Vietnam, the first as an advisor to the South Vietnamese military (1963) and the second in combat operations against North Vietnamese insurgents (1965). He was later assigned to provide military assistance to Nationalist China for which he received a Distinguished Service Award from the Nationalist Chinese government. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1970 and moved his family back to Boise, Idaho. Wilford held civil service positions in both state (Office on Aging) and federal government (ACTION) until his retirement in 1992. After his first wife passed away in 1979, Wilford married Joanne Stern in 1981. Wilford is survived by his wife, Joanne of Roseville, California; her children and grandchildren, Leslie Crowell (Tyler, Sean, and Ryan), and Jeff Stern; his children and grandchildren, Linda Hunter and husband Rex Herrington (Lisa Hyslop and husband Cody); Wil Overgaard and his wife Megan (Elise, Mikel, Willie, Ana); two great-grandchildren, Hayden and Dakota Hyslop; siblings, Willard Overgaard, Marie Crandall, and Jesse Overgard (Bev) and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elias and Myrtle; his wife, Adella; and brother, Richard (Brig) Overgard. The family suggests memorials be given to the Idaho Veterans Assistance League or the Idaho Veterans Cemetery. A memorial service will be conducted Thursday, June 11th, 3:00 pm, at the Committal Shelter at the Veterans Cemetery in Boise. A gathering of friends will follow the service at the Basque Center in downtown Boise.