LWVAC is proud to have several Life Members—those who have been League members for 50 consecutive years! We’ve set out to interview them. Here we talk with Deanye Overman, as reported by Karen Seabury.

Deanye grew up in eastern North Carolina.  She earned her teaching degree at East Carolina University.  After teaching for one year, she married Allen Overman who also grew up in eastern North Carolina.  He was a student at NC State in agricultural engineering.  When Allen was accepted into a post-doctoral program at the University of Illinois, the couple moved to Urbana, Illinois.  There they had their two children.  The family moved to Gainesville when Allen was offered a position in the UF/IFAS Agricultural Engineering department in 1969.

When did you join the League?

I was ready for more interests outside the home and was intrigued by the League of Women Voters brochure in the University Women’s Club welcome package.  When my neighbor (and friend to this day) Jean Martin joined in 1970, I joined in 1971.  I liked the League because it was a place you could discuss issues--and work on them with interesting people.

What issues have moved you the most?

I began by working on voter registration and natural resources, which was then called “environmental quality.”

In 1972, the state League adopted a new study, “Justice in Florida,” aimed at reorganizing the court system and later also included other issues such as juvenile justice and sentencing guidelines. Lucille Fristoe, who was then LWVAC president, asked me to chair the local study committee. We did a rigorous League study to formulate our position. We worked with other groups in the state to get it on the ballot. It passed, the constitution was amended, and the court system in Florida was changed. Later I served on the state LWV board and continued to work on justice issues.

At one point, our local jail in Gainesville was having problems. LWVAC initiated a study, formulated a position, and was instrumental in getting a jail bond passed.

In 1975, I became interim president of LWVAC and served for one year. Much of the work of the League was then being done by stay-at-home mothers. The women all had college degrees, had small children to take care of, and found in the League an outlet for civic work and a place to meet interesting people. I remember committee meetings where we’d all bring our kids and hire a babysitter to look after them while we met. Getting the Equal Rights Amendment passed was a focus of the League in those days.

In later years I was chair of Natural Resources, Treasurer, and served as president once more, in 2004.

What big changes have you seen in the landscape—political, the League, Gainesville?

The League has many more professional women than it once had.  At the state level, the League has continued to be very strong and effective and more likely to engage in lawsuits.

What advice or lessons learned would you pass on to our members?

• Enjoy the interesting people you meet in the League.
• Stay on top of local, state, and national issues.
• Use the proven League method for defining a position.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I’ll never forget my work in the League—not only the study of the issues but also the interesting people and generous mentors I’ve met along the way.