Monroe County Appeal, Thursday, November 1960 
  
William Bryant (Bill) Overfelt 59, prominent Paris businessman for 35 years, died unexpectedly Friday night around 10:30 at his home while watching a television program in company with his son, John, of Columbia, at home for the Thanksgiving holiday. 
  
His death was the third among Paris businessmen within a period of a month, others being the late Leo Smithy and M. B. Powers. 
  
Overfelt had been in his usual good health and so far as is known, had previously had no indication of illness.  His death was attributed by his doctor to a heart attack. 
  
At the time his death occurred the father and son were watching the TV program, Overfelt dropped his head to one side as he sat in his chair.  The son at first thought he had dozed off into sleep as he sometimes did, but when he could not be roused, called a doctor who arrived within a few minutes but found that death had already occurred.  
  
Funeral services were conducted at the Speed and Blakey Funeral Chapel Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock.  Officiating was Rev. Van Giesen of Hannibal, former Paris Methodist Church pastor, close friend and companion, and golfing partner of Overfelt.  Special vocal music was provided by Jack Acuff of Centralia, with Mrs. Paul Gerster at the piano.  Burial was in Walnut Grove cemetery at Paris. 
  
Overfelt was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Overfelt of Paris and except for a few years after graduating from high school, spent working as an operator and station agent for the railroad, he had spent his life here. 
  
Around 1928 Overfelt gave up his railroad work and built and established the Overfelt Sinclair Service Station at Main and Locust, the first modern station in Paris, and continued to operate it until his death.  He was agent for the express company, owner and operator of an apartment house in Paris and with his wife owner of the Linda Kaye Shop at Centralia and the Lilibelle Shop in Paris.  In the last fifteen years Overfelt has bought and developed considerable real estate in Paris. 
  
Surviving him are his widow, the former Miss Lillian Davis of New Franklin; two sons, William Overfelt, Jr., of Centralia and John Overfelt of Columbia; a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wm. Overfelt, Jr. and two grandchildren, Lynda Kaye and John Jeffrey, Centralia; two brothers, Herbert of Dallas, Texas; and Ferol of New York City; three sisters, Mrs. Maud Auby of Decatur, Ill., Mrs. Mary Sanford of Washington D. C., and Mrs. Anna Lee Hurst of Tulsa, Okla., and many other relatives in Monroe County and elsewhere. 
  
Overfelt was widely known and popular, a fact attested to by the capacity crowd that attended his funeral services and by the large numbers of people from over this county and nearby communities who came here after news of his sudden death became known. 
  
He was one of the outstanding athletes of the community, active in all sports organizations, a prominent member and worker in the newly organized country club and golf course at Paris, active in other community development over the years, a member of the Paris Christian Church. 
  
His service station was a favorite spot for the young people of the school, in whom he took a personal interest.  He was one of the organizers of the roller skating rink at the school.