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Peter Savage Overdahl
05/08/1942 — 04/30/2013
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Ashland, WI
Peter Savage Overdahl
May 1st, 2013 Peter S. Pete Overdahl was born on May 8, 1942 in Ashland, Wisconsin to Edith Margaret and Clarence Hjalmer Overdahl. He died on April 30, 2013 in Richland, Washington.
Pete's father arrived in Washington State in 1943 and was the Police Chief in the city of North Richland. He moved his family to Richland in 1944 when Pete was two years old and his brother Jim was four. Pete attended Richland schools and graduated from Columbia High School in 1960. He loved the reunions at Col-Hi, reconnecting with classmates he hadn't seen for a while and serving in any capacity to make it all happen. A highlight from their 2010 reunion was when their exchange student Ayla Ozer Unal returned from Turkey for their 50th reunion.
He entered the U.S. Air Force in October 1962 and served in Germany as an Air Policeman. He was honorably discharged in February 1966. He treasured many friendships made during that time. In February 2007 he attended a 40th reunion of the 7310th group of many of those men in Las Vegas, Nevada and had an absolutely marvelous time! They laughed, lied, told stories, hugged, cried, ate, drank, took a million pictures and laughed some more. It was the first of several reunions
On June 15th, 1968 he married Margaret F. Maggie McKinley in Enterprise, Oregon and began his long time love of Wallowa County.
He joined the Washington State Patrol in April 1966 and was stationed in Walla Walla from 1967 to 1969. He then transferred to the Kennewick office and worked out of there until he retired as a Trooper in June of 1991. He was named the first Trooper of the Year in 1984 for the State of Washington. The last three years he worked as a Safety Education Officer and spoke to over 41, 500 students in eight counties, something of which he was very, very proud.
After his retirement he kept quite busy as an investigator for the law firm of Rettig, Osborne, Forgette and O'Donnell. He also worked as a court security officer with the U.S. Marshall's Service at the Federal District Court in Richland. Also Quiktrak, an auditing company in Tualatin, Oregon. In 2007 he started Pete Overdahl Investigations doing private background investigations and process serving for several law offices.
He was an active volunteer and past president of the Tri-City Cancer Center's Men's Club, the Wishing Star foundation, the Kennewick Kiwanis club and Kennewick's AFS organization. He was a member of the VFW and the Sons of Norway. He was extremely proud of his Norwegian heritage. He was also the past president & member of the Retired Washington State Patrol Employees Association. Pete was never happier than when he was busy and particularly when he was doing something for someone else; he truly had a servant's heart. He was a prolific card sender as many people will attest to and he was a story teller. One of his hobbies was photography. He was particularly interested in our amazing bald eagle! He had a lot of fun building cork birdhouses. And he loved his 1969 El Camino & drove over 300, 000 miles in 40 plus years.
Pete is survived at home by his wife Maggie. His cousin Norm & Phyllis Overdahl, Mike & Judy McGimpsey, David, Daniel, Mark & Patricia. Carl & Nancy Overdahl & Kiersten all of Olympia. And Carol Overdahl of Seattle. Zoe & Jack Lappin of Denver. And Alice & Fritz Miller of Apache Junction, Arizona and Evelyn Savage of Jupiter, Florida.
His mother passed away in 1967, his father in 1966 and his brother in 1974.
He leaves behind his "children of the heart": Klas & Mia Netzen of Sollentuna, Sweden and their sons Alfred, Johannes and Gustav Paola & Dr. Christian Suarez of Vina Del Mar, Chile and their daughters Valeria and Rocio. Sverre & Nina Overdal of Afjord, Norway and their daughters Hege and Vilde. Maurizio & Valeria Fiori of Sardinia, Italy and their son Giuseppe & daughter Selene. Now in Chicago, Illinois.
Their families included Pete and Maggie in their lives and generously shared their children and grandchildren with them. They visited all of them in their amazing countries & were spoiled rotten.
He also kept in touch with many, many friends around the world.
Visitation will be held on Thursday & Friday, May 9 & 10 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at Einan's Funeral Home in Richland.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:00am at Faith Assembly Road 72 & Court in Pasco, WA followed by a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland, WA.
The family would like for you to join them for a reception after the graveside service at Memories at Sunset Event Center also located on the cemetery grounds.
Memorials may be made to the Tri-Cities Cancer Center or charity of your choice.
You can shed tears that he is gone, or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all that he's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him, or you can be full Of the love you shared.
You can turn your heart back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you Can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him and only that he is gone, or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, or you can do what he'd want smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Pete was a good man, a friend, and will be missed.
Dear Maggie-Although I have only know you and Pete a few years, I feel as though I have known you much longer as you and Pete shared so much happiness and love in your conversations, e-mails, pictures, and especially Christmas cards. My prayers are with you and your “extended” family for consolation as you were graced with Pete’s presence and love in your lives. God bless you all. Anne
A friendlier man, I’ll never meet. Having known Pete for some 30 years, I’ll remember snowmobiling, boat races, and family gatherings where Pete was such a pleasure to be around. Always cheerful, easy to talk to, and along with Maggie, just seemed to be part of the family. We could always count on him being there when something special was happening.
Rest in Peace Pete Overdahl. I will miss you.
Rest in peace, Pete, I will cherish the wonderful birdhouse you made for me.. Bernie
May God be with you Pete. He has received a giant of a man, full of grace, humor, and loyality. I will miss you my friend and you will always be in my memories of those who impressed me most in my life…God’s speed. Vern
Peter, I will never forget you or the many experiences of you teaching me to drive, only to pull me over when you were State Patrol. Thank you for being a special part of my family’s life and for bringing Maggie in to share. I will never forget you or what a brat you could be. No more lectures except in my dreams. Keep things hopping up there until the rest of us can catch up. Bless you always, Maggie, for bringing the best out of Pete. Prayers and blessings.
We shall always remember your positiveness and including caracter.
Maggie, I am so sorry for your loss.
Please accept my deepest sympathy
Kathy
My dearest Maggie,
I am so heartbroken for you at this time, and my sincere thoughts, prayers, love and condolences go out to you. May God speed Pete’s journey Home to Him, as I know He will. May He grant you the strength and peace within to heal from this horrible pain in your life. I am so sorry for your loss Maggie. He will be missed by so many.
Love, Judy
Will never forget you, Pete. Enjoyed all the times we worked together at Club 40 and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center functions. You and I were planning on working together at our celebration at Club 40 in September and you will surely be missed!!! Rest in Peace and we will all be together again! Maggie, our prayers are with you and your family and share your tears!!
To our Cuzzie, Cactus Pete:
We wish we could be there to share in your celebration of life and we can’t help but feel you are disappointed in missing it to its fullest extent. The stories that are being told could fill a very large book and your camera would be puffing smoke from overuse. We’ll miss you but know we will see you again. All our love, Sue and Richard
Pete was a good man, a friend, and will be missed.
Dear Maggie-Although I have only know you and Pete a few years, I feel as though I have known you much longer as you and Pete shared so much happiness and love in your conversations, e-mails, pictures, and especially Christmas cards. My prayers are with you and your “extended” family for consolation as you were graced with Pete’s presence and love in your lives. God bless you all. Anne
A friendlier man, I’ll never meet. Having known Pete for some 30 years, I’ll remember snowmobiling, boat races, and family gatherings where Pete was such a pleasure to be around. Always cheerful, easy to talk to, and along with Maggie, just seemed to be part of the family. We could always count on him being there when something special was happening.
Rest in Peace Pete Overdahl. I will miss you.
Rest in peace, Pete, I will cherish the wonderful birdhouse you made for me.. Bernie
May God be with you Pete. He has received a giant of a man, full of grace, humor, and loyality. I will miss you my friend and you will always be in my memories of those who impressed me most in my life…God’s speed. Vern
Peter, I will never forget you or the many experiences of you teaching me to drive, only to pull me over when you were State Patrol. Thank you for being a special part of my family’s life and for bringing Maggie in to share. I will never forget you or what a brat you could be. No more lectures except in my dreams. Keep things hopping up there until the rest of us can catch up. Bless you always, Maggie, for bringing the best out of Pete. Prayers and blessings.
We shall always remember your positiveness and including caracter.
Maggie, I am so sorry for your loss.
Please accept my deepest sympathy
Kathy
My dearest Maggie,
I am so heartbroken for you at this time, and my sincere thoughts, prayers, love and condolences go out to you. May God speed Pete’s journey Home to Him, as I know He will. May He grant you the strength and peace within to heal from this horrible pain in your life. I am so sorry for your loss Maggie. He will be missed by so many.
Love, Judy
Will never forget you, Pete. Enjoyed all the times we worked together at Club 40 and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center functions. You and I were planning on working together at our celebration at Club 40 in September and you will surely be missed!!! Rest in Peace and we will all be together again! Maggie, our prayers are with you and your family and share your tears!!
To our Cuzzie, Cactus Pete:
We wish we could be there to share in your celebration of life and we can’t help but feel you are disappointed in missing it to its fullest extent. The stories that are being told could fill a very large book and your camera would be puffing smoke from overuse. We’ll miss you but know we will see you again. All our love, Sue and Richard
I was very sad to hear the news about Pete. I remember him as a kind and caring friend and an amazing community leader – although I live out of the area now and haven’t seen him in many years, I continue to think about Pete’s example. I know he will be very sorely missed and I hope that his legacy will live on in those like me who knew him and strive to be more like him.
Pete was the kindest man I’ve ever known. He will be so missed but leaves behind a strong legacy with his family. God bless you Pete and Maggie.
Maggie, we choose to smile because he lived. He will be missed by so many. He truly was one of the most caring individuals we have ever met. If you had a problem he was there. We will miss him with his camera at the car shows and as the article said we always end up with pictures. We will grieve the loss of Pete and keep you and your heart family in our prayers.
Dear Maggie, we have known Pete for over fifty years and each and every time we met he never changed. He was always considerate and in parting left one thankful for having him as a friend. We will cherish his memory, his smile and the positive example he set for all who knew him. May the good Lord hold you close during this trying time.
Harvey & Sally Chapman
Dearest Maggie. We received the news of Pete’s death with great sadness. Pete was a man we all loved. We got to know Pete and Maggie up in 1992 when our daughter was an AFS exchange student. It was an enrichment to get to know him and we are delighted by the contact we have had since. He had a big heart for his fellow man that gave him good friends in many countries.
We will never forget Pete and we will remember all the good times we had together during many visits in Norway. We know he will be sorely missed and our thoughts go to you Maggie who will miss him most of all.
Pete brought something into my life. I miss him deeply.
Denny English
Dear Maggie,
As an AFS student to Kennewick in 1982 you and Pete helped to make the memories of my year so special. Pete was one of a kind and I wish we lived closer to you so we could have spent more time together over the years. I am sorry we can’t be at Pete’s funeral in person but I know you are surrounded and supported by those that love you and Pete. He will be missed by so many people and in so many ways. We have lost one of the true ‘good guys’.
Love and thoughts,
Jacquie and Rex Waters
Wellington, New Zealand
Maggie, Pete was such a treaure and his passing will leave a void felt by all who knew him. My deepest sympathy to you and to your large extended family. Kathy Graham, Class of’60
Ms Maggie I want to say how sorry I am. Meeting you and Pete and sharing–talking about Norway was like talking to family. I was so surprise when he brought your photos of your trips to Norway and I so enjoyed them. He had a great photo eye.
I meet he twice but it was like meeting up with along lost friend.
Gayle RN
Maggie-
Pete will always be with his lunch buddies. We’ll save him a place. Thinking of you.
Maggie, our hearts go out to you. We feel so fortunate to have known Pete. We enjoyed all the times we were together at the Choyeski’s home, and we so loved to hear all of Pete’s interesting and informative stories from his life experiences. Pete will be missed by all who have known him.
We are saddened to see a great man pass. We appreciated his visits. We have known him a long time. Maggie we are sorry for your loss.
Jack and Doris Vigue 509 627 5395
I met Pete when he found me lost in the library at the law firm during my first interview to become an associate. He introduced himself, told me about his WSP background and made me feel at home right away.
When Pete and Maggie moved down the street from my family, I was thrilled to have their friendly faces to see on my way home each day. We keep track of Pete’s projects and the “Overdahl” sign in the garage, and wave as Maggie walks her dogs.
He was a wonderful man whose actions truly earned him all the love and respect being expressed.
Pete was a very special person and I will charish all the memories. May he rest in peace. Much Love to you, Maggie. Love, Margaret Haeg
Several years ago, I was surprised to get stopped by a cop for the first time when I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. I rolled down my window and the cop said, “Hi, Brenda.” It was Pete Overdahl. We talked for 30 minutes and caught up with each other. He was one of the good guys.
Pete was a very good friend and colleague to my dad, Henry Montelongo. He’ll be missed at the state patrol dinners where he always took pictures and would make sure we got a copy. He was a great man and will truly be missed. Thinking of you and yours…
Dearest Maggie – My heart aches for you. What a terrible loss this is. I’ve known Pete since he and I were 6 years old. Our Dads were friends. He has always been in my life because he is the kind of caring friend who makes sure he stays in contact. The world was a better place because of him and he was the best he could be because of you. I send you love and hope for an easing of your painful grief. I mourn with you.
I’ve known Pete and Maggie since 1982. John Hauptmann and I would take Klas out for target practice and Pete thought that was hilarious. I worked with Pete at the Richland US Marshals and Pete did a great job. I have been truly blessed to have known Pete and Maggie and my life is much richer because of their patience and love. Pete will live in my heart, and Maggie will be in our prayers.
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Peter Savage Overdahl