1931
Robert
2014
Robert Louis Overstreet Jr.
August 11, 1931 — December 31, 2014
Robert Louis Overstreet, Jr. passed away in the early morning hours on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 after a brief illness. He was fortunate to have just spent Christmas with his devoted wife of 38 years, Nancy, and his children.
Bob was a proud Virginian and a patriotic American to the very end. Born in Bedford, VA on august 11, 1931, he graduated from Bedford High School before graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force in England, Bob married Mary Jean Carlyle, also of Bedford, and joined Bell Labs. He and Mary Jean had three children, Bobby, Beth, and Jeff. Their early years were spent in Burlington, NC. In 1973, Bob tragically lost Mary Jean to Cancer.
As the saying goes, “When one door closes, another one opens,” and open it did when Bob ran into former classmate Nancy Huddleston Mitchell at a Bedford High School reunion. They were married in 1976. Bob and his family blended with Nancy and her daughters, Laura and Lyn.
Soon after, they relocated to Morristown, NJ so that Bob could work at the Whippany division of Bell Labs, America’s leading scientific research laboratory. Bob was highly regarded during his long career. While at Bell Labs, he obtained many patents on projects that he directed. Bob and Nancy traveled to China where he as invited to speak to Chinese colleagues about his work.
Upon retirement in 1994, Bob and Nancy moved back to Virginia, where they lived an active and happy life in Albemarle County. They enjoyed entertaining friends, the view from their deck, and Bob renovated his house, gardened, fought groundhogs, and, of course, attended many UVA sporting and alumni events.
He and Nancy enjoyed traveling in the United States and Europe, and visiting old friends in Bedford while staying in the cabin he, his father, and his brother built in the foothills of the Peaks of Otter.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, Robert L. Overstreet and Harriett Wilson Overstreet, infant daughter, Anne Overstreet, his first wife, Mary Jean Carlyle Overstreet, and brother, Edmund (Ned).
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Overstreet, children Robert Louis Overstreet III (Jean), Mary Elizabeth Madden, Jeffrey Carlyle Overstreet, Laura Mitchell Mallan (Tom), Lyn McQueen (Steve), and sister, Mary Jane Drott and her husband, Henry, along with special cousins and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held Friday, January 9, 2015 at Ebenezer United Methodist Church Cemetery, at 11:00 a.m. 1118 Ebenezer Road, Bedford, VA with the Rev. Mark Wilkerson officiating. The family will receive friends at Tharp Funeral Home in Bedford from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 8, 2015.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Andrew Macfarlan, Bob’s primary care physician of many years, and Dr. Sorin C. Laza of Martha Jefferson Hospital, for their compassionate care and counsel to the family. Also special thanks to the caring staff at Grace Health and Rehab.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the University of Virginia Engineering Foundation, P.O. Box 400256, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
To send condolences online please visit www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Bedford, (540)-586-3443.
Bob was a proud Virginian and a patriotic American to the very end. Born in Bedford, VA on august 11, 1931, he graduated from Bedford High School before graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force in England, Bob married Mary Jean Carlyle, also of Bedford, and joined Bell Labs. He and Mary Jean had three children, Bobby, Beth, and Jeff. Their early years were spent in Burlington, NC. In 1973, Bob tragically lost Mary Jean to Cancer.
As the saying goes, “When one door closes, another one opens,” and open it did when Bob ran into former classmate Nancy Huddleston Mitchell at a Bedford High School reunion. They were married in 1976. Bob and his family blended with Nancy and her daughters, Laura and Lyn.
Soon after, they relocated to Morristown, NJ so that Bob could work at the Whippany division of Bell Labs, America’s leading scientific research laboratory. Bob was highly regarded during his long career. While at Bell Labs, he obtained many patents on projects that he directed. Bob and Nancy traveled to China where he as invited to speak to Chinese colleagues about his work.
Upon retirement in 1994, Bob and Nancy moved back to Virginia, where they lived an active and happy life in Albemarle County. They enjoyed entertaining friends, the view from their deck, and Bob renovated his house, gardened, fought groundhogs, and, of course, attended many UVA sporting and alumni events.
He and Nancy enjoyed traveling in the United States and Europe, and visiting old friends in Bedford while staying in the cabin he, his father, and his brother built in the foothills of the Peaks of Otter.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, Robert L. Overstreet and Harriett Wilson Overstreet, infant daughter, Anne Overstreet, his first wife, Mary Jean Carlyle Overstreet, and brother, Edmund (Ned).
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Overstreet, children Robert Louis Overstreet III (Jean), Mary Elizabeth Madden, Jeffrey Carlyle Overstreet, Laura Mitchell Mallan (Tom), Lyn McQueen (Steve), and sister, Mary Jane Drott and her husband, Henry, along with special cousins and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held Friday, January 9, 2015 at Ebenezer United Methodist Church Cemetery, at 11:00 a.m. 1118 Ebenezer Road, Bedford, VA with the Rev. Mark Wilkerson officiating. The family will receive friends at Tharp Funeral Home in Bedford from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 8, 2015.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Andrew Macfarlan, Bob’s primary care physician of many years, and Dr. Sorin C. Laza of Martha Jefferson Hospital, for their compassionate care and counsel to the family. Also special thanks to the caring staff at Grace Health and Rehab.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the University of Virginia Engineering Foundation, P.O. Box 400256, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
To send condolences online please visit www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Bedford, (540)-586-3443.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Robert Louis Overstreet Jr., please visit our flower store.
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