Miss you Grandmother
(Dorothy Jean Overstreet Mendenhall)
Dorothy Mendenhall
Mrs. Dorothy Jean Mendenhall, age 79 of Burns, TN died Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the Lyles home of her daughter Danita Parker.
The family invites friends to the residence at 1805 Spencers Mill Rd from 2:00 - 4:00 PM Sunday, April 1. Services to celebrate Dorothy’s life will begin at 4:00 PM under the shade of the blooming trees that Dorothy so loved. They will conclude with military honors provided by the United States Air Force. Heritage Funeral Home - Columbia is assisting the family with arrangements.
Dorothy was born on May 28, 1932 in Nashville, TN to Sam and Anita Kirkpatrick Overstreet. At the insistence of her family she entered nursing school right out of high school. Three months prior to completing her training to become a registered nurse, Dorothy decided to join the military and follow the path she desired.
As fate would have it, because of her prior training, Dorothy was placed in a surgical hospital during her military career and became an LPN. During her military service, she walked into a dining hall and “sat down next to me,” recalls her husband. “She’s never gone away since then.”
Following her service to our country, Dorothy worked with the Infant Heart Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and later as a LPN with Goodlark Hospital.
Her love for people and her passion for life will be missed by those who knew her.
Dorothy is survived by her husband of nearly 58 years: Ralph Mendenhall of Burns, TN; a son: Gary Mendenhall of Dickson, TN; two daughters: Danita Parker of Lyles, TN and Vicki Mendenhall of Hickman Co; a brother: Sam Overstreet of Franklin, TN; 5 grandchildren, Kara Baker (Bobby), Cameron Parris (Eric), Jordan Parker and Logan Parker and 5 great-grandchildren Tatum Baker, Charlie Roland, Jayden Baker, Rorie Roland, Braylyn Parris, and Kenlee Parker. In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by a brother: Clarence Overstreet.
Note: Uncle Sam Overstreet Jr. passed away 8/7/2012
SAM OVERSTREET, JR., Mr. Sam as born on January 1, 1937 in Nashville, Tennessee, the first baby born in Nashville that year. The son of Anita and Sam Overstreet, Sr., the first years of his life were spent living in Nashville. At the tender age of 15 he met and married his "love at first sight" blind date. They married on April 12, 1953 in Corinth, Mississippi and moved to Franklin, Tennessee where they lived until his death. On February 4, 1955, their daughter Sherry was born. Sam started work as a truck driver for Farmers Construction Company in May of 1953 and stayed with them until the 1980s when the company ceased operation. During that time he was a dragline operator, heavy equipment operator and mechanic. After that, he worked for B.H. Williams Construction until 1987, when that company ceased operation. On October 6, 1987, Sam started working for the City of Franklin in the Parks Department. Starting when there was one park, and three employees, he eventually moved through the ranks to be the Assistant Parks Director, before he retired in 2011. Preceded in death by parents, Sampson Lee and Anita Kirkpatrick Overstreet. Survived by wife, Helon Overstreet; daughter, Sherry (Billy) Lovett; grandchildren, Jeff (Rachel) Lovett; great grandchild, Sam Lovett. Celebration of Life service will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, August 11, 2012 at Heritage Church of Christ with visitation one hour prior to the service.
