Russell "Russ" Overbay

Dates

Obituary

Russell (Russ) Overbay, 77, of Mitchell, SD, passed away on Friday, December 26, 2025, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. A celebration of Russ’s life will be held on Friday, January 2, 2026, at 10:30 AM at Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell. Visitation will take place one hour before funeral, 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Mitchell.

Russell Wayne Overbay was born on August 1, 1948, in Greenville, Ohio, to Harold and Edna Overbay. In 1950, his family moved to Wolsey, South Dakota, where he grew up on the family farm and attended Wolsey Schools, graduating from high school in 1966. He married Patricia (Gogolin) Iwen in December of 1967 and had a daughter, Laura. They lived in Huron where he worked for C&NW Railroad. He moved his family to Wahpeton, North Dakota where he attended school for journeyman electrician. They moved back to Huron where he worked for Northwestern Public Service.

He then transferred to Mitchell, where he lived and continued to work for Northwestern Public Service until he retired. He met Mary (Stach) Overbay while working for Northwestern Public Service. They were married in June of 1993. Russ enjoyed bowling, fishing, hunting, and camping. A couple of passions that he enjoyed were gardening, especially his roses, and tinkering on his many rentals. He especially enjoyed traveling for his annual National Bowling Tournaments. Russ and Mary, along with his dog, Stormy, made many trips to Branson, Missouri, for fun and relaxation as well as to Ohio to see family and friends.

Russ is survived by his wife of 32 years, Mary of Mitchell; his daughter, Laura Haug of Madison; two grandchildren, Benjamin (Jackie) Haug of Lester Prairie, MN, and Kaitlin Pierson of Madison; two great-grandchildren, Hensley and Hannah Haug; one sister, Phyllis Martens of Rapid City; three brothers, Robert (Judy) of Aberdeen, David (Mary Kay) of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Glenn (Lisa) of Huron; sister-in-law, Mirtha Overbay of Winter Haven, Florida; and many in-laws, and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold; mother, Edna; one brother, Michael; his mother and father-in-law, one sister in-law, and two brothers-in-law, and his grandparents.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Russell to St. Jude’s.

Visitation(s)

Service

Cemetery