James Gene Overstreet

James Gene Overstreet, 92, of rural Harvey County near Newton, Kansas, died Friday, September 25, 2026, at home, with family present, after a brief illness with cancer.

He was born August 26, 1934, in Pratt, Kansas, the son of Dorse L. Overstreet and Florence Elizabeth (Frame) Overstreet Carlisle.

In his pre-teen years, friends invited him to a revival meeting, where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His family moved often during his youth, and he did not have a settled church home until after his marriage. From the late 1970s he was a member of Meridian Baptist Church in Newton, where he served as an Awana leader, deacon, trustee, and bookkeeper.

He attended several schools and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1952. He trained as a newspaper printer’s apprentice, joined the International Typographical Union, and became a journeyman printer. He worked in composing-room markup and advertising at the Newton Kansan, in Baltimore, at the Wichita Beacon, and for 26 years at The Wichita Eagle. As the trade changed, he moved with it and finished his career as a production designer in the Eagle advertising department, retiring in 1999. He liked to say he worked in newspapers from hot-lead type to the Apple Macintosh.

He served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959 as a specialist with the 4th Armored Division, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 22nd Artillery, stationed near Nuremberg, West Germany, and then served two additional years in the reserves. He attained the rank of sergeant and received an honorable discharge.

While he was stationed in Germany, his aunt, Ethel Reed, a nurse, introduced him by mail to Sharon Lee Ledbetter who worked in the same doctor’s office. After their correspondence and courtship, they bought an engagement ring together in Baltimore and were married in WIchita on May 5, 1963. Seven years later, they made their home in rural Harvey County, where he put together a Capp-Home (a pre-cut house they finished themselves) and lived for more than 50 years. His stepbrother, Tommy Carlisle, later owner of a Wichita plumbing company, helped him plumb and wire the house.

He enjoyed reading, gardening, woodworking, Kansas City Chiefs games, and Wichita State Shockers basketball and baseball. In later years he liked to watch World War II documentaries, technology programs, and home-remodeling programs.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Lee (Ledbetter) Overstreet, in 2018; by his parents and stepfather, T.D. Carlisle; by an infant sister; and by his stepbrothers, George Carlisle and Tommy Carlisle.

He is survived by his daughter, Laura Curtis (Mike) of Newton; his son, Mark Overstreet (Jill) of Greenville, South Carolina; grandchildren Courtney, Cody, Ashton, and Addison, children of Laura; Micaiah, Sarah, Esther, Daniel, and Jonathan, children of Mark; great-grandchildren Cayden (Courtney), Marcelina (Sarah), Sofia (Esther); and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, October 2, 2026, at Meridian Baptist Church, 1130 W. Broadway, Newton. The casket will be open at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the service. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Newton, with military honors at the graveside.

Memorials may be made to the Meridian Baptist Church Mission Projects fund or the Audio Visual Technology fund, Meridian Baptist Church, 1130 West Broadway St., Newton, KS 67114.