Charles Wayne Overath, Sr.

Charles Wayne Overath, Sr. of Greensboro, Georgia, formerly of Georgetown, TX & Belleville, IL, passed away on Friday, October 17, 2025, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, GA at the age of 84. Born in Alton, Illinois, on January 5, 1941, Charles was the son of the late Charles Joseph Overath and Fern Thelma Wild Overath. He was a graduate of Alton High School, class of 1959, and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University 1965.  On October 13, 1962, he married Rita Ester Bolich in Alton, Illinois.

In March 1963, Charles began his career with American Water Works Corporation as a management trainee and held various positions as the company expanded. He retired in January 2001 as Vice President of Finance for Illinois American Water Works, a subsidiary of American Water Works Corporation.

Everyone knew that his family and friends were extremely important to him.  Known as Bud instead of Grandpa, he was forever young!  Charlie was known for his sense of humor and playful nature. He was the dad that would join the neighborhood kids to play a game in the backyard or shoot hoops in the driveway.  He was also the Dad that highly valued educational opportunities for his family and prioritized leaving a legacy for future generations.  

Always involved in the communities he resided in, he was a member of the Alton Masonic Lodge and the Richmond, IN Elks Lodge. Charles enjoyed playing golf, fishing, and was an Eagle Scout. 

He is survived by his daughters, Melissa Jeanne Thornburg (Eric) of Greensboro, GA; Kimberly Denise Simpson (Mike) of Punta Gorda, FL; his sons, Charles Wayne Overath (Kary) of Mt. Juliet, TN; James Lowell Cook (Leah) of Huntsville, AL; his grandchildren, Tyler Pennington (Rachel) of Troy, IL; Wesley Thornburg of Orlando, FL; Erica Thornburg of Charleston SC; Reid and Parker Overath of Mt. Juliet, TN; and his great-granddaughter, Caroline Pennington of Troy, IL; He is survived by his sister, Jeanne Elizabeth Salmond  (Bill) of Cummings, GA;  nieces Ann Hoerner, Isabel Lorimer, Mauri Overath, Jill LaFreniere, nephews  Edwardo Bolich, Jimmy Salmond, many grand nieces & nephews and friend Marilyn Fassnacht. In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Rita  Overath, and his brother, Larry Joseph Overath.

Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (cure.childrenscancer.org), 1650 W. 82nd Street, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55431, or the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org), P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.

Honoring his wishes he was cremated by McCommons Funeral Home, located at 109 W. Broad Street, Greensboro, GA, 706-453-2626. Visitors are welcome to sign the online guest register at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com.  A family gathering to celebrate his life is being planned.

*

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles Wayne Overath, Sr., please visit our floral store.