Ann Roscoe Thibodeaux Overdyke
Shreveport - Ann Roscoe Thibodeaux Overdyke (Jimmie) died peacefully in Shreveport, LA in the early morning hours of November 7, 2019. Jimmie or Jimbo, as her friends called her, had recently celebrated her 97th birthday.
Jimmie was born on September 15, 1922 in Alexandria, LA to L. O. Thibodeaux and Mary Natheline Wright. She moved to Shreveport at a young age, graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in 1939 and received a BS degree in History from Centenary College in 1943. While at Centenary she was President of the Chi Omega Sorority and was selected as a Centenary Lady.
Jimmie was known for the love she showed with her hands. She was a gourmet cook who loved to entertain old and new friends. Her needlework took handwork to artwork. Always in high demand were her knitting of wool caps and scarves for seamen in New York and facemasks for our soldiers. In her 90's when her eyesight began to fail, she traded fine needles for a jumbo crochet hook making more than 100 sleep mats for the homeless using plastic bags (Shreveport Times, 1/24/16).
Jimmie had an adventurous spirit. No travel opportunity could be passed up including joining her husband in "co-piloting" his Army Air Corps airplane to Paraguay. She traveled to all of the important events of her grandchildren as well as visiting them from the mountains of Wyoming to the jungles of Panama. We can't forget Halloween where she was proud to have scared three generations of children. On her 90th birthday, Jimmie was honored with a surprise party that included a blown-up photograph of herself in her witch costume that had appeared in the Shreveport Times. What a memory - "40 years of fright and 90 years of delight."
Jimmie was also well known for her magnetic personality. She had a mind like a steel trap, always game to learn something new! She loved her church and had a strong faith. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Four-Square Bible Study Sunday School Class and The Kneelers - who needlepointed the kneelers for the main Sanctuary and Couch Chapel. She was also a founding member of the Shreveport Rose Stitchery Guild, a member of Hypatia of Shreveport and a sustaining member of The Junior League of Shreveport. She enjoyed her involvement in Book Worms, the English-Speaking Union and Hypogeum.
Jimmie was pre-deceased by her parents, and her husband and the love of her life, Jere C. Overdyke. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Louise (Weegie) Peabody and her husband, Ben H. Peabody, Jr of Baton Rouge, LA and her son, Jere C. Overdyke, Jr and his wife, Carol Tucker Overdyke, of Houston, TX. She is survived by her grandsons: Jere C. Overdyke, III and his wife, Patricia Scoggins Overdyke, of Jackson, WY, and Scott Tucker Overdyke, and his wife Deanna Ford Overdyke of Lusaka, Zambia. Jimmie is also survived by her great granddaughters: Margaret Tucker Overdyke and Evelyn Scott Overdyke of Jackson, WY and Acadia Ford Overdyke and Lucie Ford Overdyke of Lusaka, Zambia; and niece, Katherine Ann Hamel and husband Milton C. Hamel, and nephew, Dr. William L. Overdyke and wife Kathryn P Overdyke, all of Shreveport, LA.
A celebration of life will be held in the Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, LA on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 11:00 AM with a reception following in Couch Parlor. Jimmie's life was closely tied to the First United Methodist Sanctuary where she was married, where she and her family worshipped and where some of her needlepoint can be seen on the kneelers in front of the Sanctuary and in Couch Chapel.
Jimmie's family would especially like to thank the many wonderful caregivers who cared for her these last few years including Roszena Bellow, Angela Hilson, Tericka Hall, Paulette Brown and Nancy Breton as well as Jeanne Krison with Elara Caring. The family is also grateful for the love and support from Valerie and the Hoogland family, Elizabeth and Bill Madole and Denise and Craig Monroe. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1567, Shreveport, LA 71165 or an organization of your choice.
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Published in Shreveport Times from Nov. 8 to Nov. 12, 2019
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