AUSTIN, Texas – The nation’s oldest veteran, and the oldest man in the country, Richard Overton, has died.
- Richard Overton has died
- Passed away in Austin at the age of 112
- Was the nation's oldest living WWII veteran
Overton died on Thursday, December 27, 2018. Overton was one of Austin’s most famous and beloved residents.
Overton was born in Bastrop County, Texas, on May 11, 1906. In 1942, during World War II, he enlisted in the Army at Fort Sam Houston.
He spent three years fighting in the South Pacific, with stops in Guam and Iwo Jima. Overton rose to the rank of sergeant, before leaving the Army in 1945. After the war he moved to Austin, sold furniture, and worked for the state treasury office.
Overton was married twice. His second wife died in 1988 and they never had children. Later in life he gained fame as the country’s oldest known World War II veteran.
On Veteran’s Day in 2013, he had breakfast at the White House with then-President Barack Obama, who later that day honored Overton with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
“Today, Richard still lives in that house he built all of those years ago, rakes his own lawn, and every Sunday he hops in his 1971 Ford truck and drives one of the nice ladies in his neighborhood to church,” Obama said during the meeting.
Overton could also walk without a cane during his final years. When asked about his secret to longevity, Overton’s answer would always turn heads.
The secret: whiskey and cigars.
REMEMBERING RICHARD OVERTON:
Oldest living WWII veteran celebrating 112th birthday in Austin
Richard Overton to be honored at Travis County Democratic Party Dinner
Richard Overton returns home after week-long hospitalization
Nation’s oldest living veteran gets major home renovations
After Hospitalization, WWII Veteran Richard Overton Going Home
Austin VA Clinic Names Healing Garden After Richard Overton
Oldest Living Veteran Gets Honorary Street Naming, For One Day
WWII Vet Richard Overton Raises Over $90K, Extends Goal for Additional Care
Oldest WWII Veteran Seeks Help for 24/7 Care
Richard Overton: Austinite, Nation's Oldest Living WWII Veteran, Celebrates 110th Birthday