Willard M. Overgaard

Dr. Willard M. Overgaard was born October 16, 1925 right after his twin brother Wilford in a log cabin to Elias and Myrtle Overgaard of Montpelier, Idaho. The family moved to Barber, Idaho when Willard was a toddler after his father secured a position with Boise-Payette Lumber Company at Barber Mill. The family moved to Boise and Willard attended Boise High School where Wilford and Willard were President and Vice President of their Student Body. Upon graduation in 1943, Willard joined the Army Air Corps after serving in the High School ROTC program and was assigned to the B-24 Bomber program as a Navigator. The WWII armistice was signed before he could be deployed and he was discharged to the Army Reserve. After returning to Idaho he met and married the love of his life, Lucia Clare Cochrane, and began his baccalaureate studies at Boise Junior College, continuing his Junior year at the College of Idaho and graduating at the University of Oregon. He was offered and accepted a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Oslo, Norway to study languages which he successfully completed. In 1951 he was recalled from the Army Reserves and joined the Active Army with their Intelligence Division and was stationed in Frankfort, Germany during the Korean War. At the cessation of the war, he began his Master’s study in Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin. Upon obtaining his Masters he began work on his PhD at the University of Minnesota. In 1956 Willard put his Doctorate on hold to accept a position as analyst and instructor at the Army Intelligence School, Oberammergau, Germany. In 1961, he returned to the United States and completed his PhD in Political Science at the University of Minnesota. Willard spent three years at the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama under contract for George Washington University. In 1967, he accepted a position with Operational Research Incorporated at the US Army War College Carlisle, Pennsylvania doing research, analysis and instruction at the College. In 1970, Willard accepted a position at Westminster College New Wilmington, Pennsylvania to develop a Graduate Program. In 1972 the family moved to Boise, Idaho where Willard assumed the Department Chairman for the Political Science and Philosophy Department at Boise State University. Under his leadership the Masters of Public Administration and the Legal Assistant Program were created. Dr. Overgaard retired to Professor Emeritus in 1994. Willard is survived by his children, Eric (Theresa), Mark, and Alisa; brother, Jesse (Beverly); grandsons, Joshua (Allyn) and Dylan; great-grandchildren, Reagan and Grayden; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lucia; brothers, Richard and Wilford; and sister, Marie. We would like to thank Edgewood Overland Senior Living Center and Hospice for their care and service.

A Graveside Service will be held at Cloverdale Cemetery, 1200 N Cloverdale Rd, Boise, ID 83713 @ 2PM August 14, 2020.