Don Overton

Don Overton, often referred to as Coach "O" died peacefully at his home on Thursday November 21, 2013. He was born in Allen, Oklahoma on November 23, 1937. He graduated from McAlester High School in 1955. He went on to play basketball at Bacone Junior College in Muskogee, OK under his beloved brother, Claudell Overton. He later transferred to Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma where he lettered in 3 sports and received various honors. After graduation, he coached at Sulphur Springs High School, Sulphur Springs, Texas and St. Thomas High School, Houston, Texas. He returned to Southeastern State College as assistant football coach and PE coach under the direction of Bob Thomas and where he received his master’s in education. He then moved to Hugo, Oklahoma where he was head basketball coach and assistant football coach. While at Hugo, he was also on a traveling team that played against the Harlem Globetrotters. He went onto, Miami, OK, where he was also head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He left his beloved coaching in 1972, when he moved to Norman, Oklahoma where he resided for many years as a successful custom home builder and had many other business ventures. He later returned to Durant where he was given the opportunity to return to his one true calling and that was to coach basketball. In his first year as head coach for the Durant Lions, he took Durant to their first state tournament in 24 years, narrowly missing the state championship game. During his coaching career, he won two state championships. He won a state championship at St. Thomas high school and then took his Miami War Dogs to their only state championship in school history with a perfect 27-0 record. In 1972, he was named Oklahoma coach of the year by the Tulsa World and by the Oklahoma State Coaches association. He was a finalist for the Tulsa world coach of the year in 2006. Don also taught PE at Robert E Lee elementary and loved his time with the staff and kids there. He was always looking out for the underdog. During the last two years, he volunteered as an assistant to the men's basketball team at Southeastern. He loved coaching and making his players better young men. His favorite pastime besides watching basketball was fishing. He recently told his daughter the best choice he ever made was when he and his then-wife, the former Judy Lemonds, made the decision to adopt their two children, Shelley Overton Allen and Mike Overton Don was preceded in death by mother Cecil Hooper Overton Potts, sister Jo Doris Narrow, and brother Claudell Overton. He is survived by daughter Shelley Allen and husband Chris, son Mike and wife Dana, grandchildren Blake Allen, Elise Allen, and Dylan Overton, all of Durant; sisters Maxine Waugh, Gainesville, Georgia, and Jerri Huddleston, Norman, and brother Bob Overton of Rockport, Texas. A celebration of Don’s life will be held at 10:00 am Monday, November 25, 2013 at Brown’s Funeral Service Chapel with Pastor Tony Thomas officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be all of his former players and coaching friends, with whom he shared so many special times. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Don Overton Fund at the Southeastern Foundation, 1405 N. Fourth, PMB 4187, Durant, Oklahoma 74701-0609. Arrangements are under the direction of Brown’s Funeral Service, Durant. PDF Printable Version

Don Overton

November 23, 1937 - November 21, 2013