Harriet Anne Overcast Melson, 83, of Shelbyville died suddenly Thursday morning, December 24, 2020 at NHC-Tullahoma after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and complications from COVID-19.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.
A native of Shelbyville, she was born Jan. 3, 1937 to the late Roy Morton Overcast Sr. and Lilly Tillett Overcast and was a longtime member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn “Bo” Melson, in 2014, and a brother, Samuel Terry Overcast.
She was a 1955 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School, attended Bowling Green (Ky.) College of Commerce and was a 1958 honors graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. She taught business systems technology courses for many years, first at Fall’s Business College then for almost 30 years with the Tennessee State Area Vocational-Technical School (today’s Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Shelbyville). She was named 1998 Post-Secondary Vocational Teacher of the Year in the Tennessee Technology System and the 1995 Technical Teacher of the Year for the Missouri River-Gulf Region of the American Technical Education Association. She was a former member and vice-chairman of the Shelbyville Parks & Recreation Board where she was instrumental in starting the Christmas in the Park program, served as director of the Pink Ladies Auxiliary at the old Bedford County General Hospital, and was a member of Shelbyville Woman’s Club.
Survivors include a son, David Melson of Shelbyville; a sister, Carolyn “Cookie” Smith of Plano, Texas; and a brother, Roy Morton Overcast Jr. and partner Ralph DiPalma of Brentwood.
Memorials may be made to First Christian Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Hillcrest Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
