Parents’ Gift to Campbell Divinity School Nothing New, According to Their Son

When Jeff Overton spoke about the generous gift that his parents, Allen and Joanne Overton, had given to the Campbell University Divinity School, he said, “It’s what I’ve seen all my life.”
Reverend Overton, who is interim pastor at Poston Baptist Church, Wallace, and his wife constantly, helped people who were broken down on the road or had given out of gas in front of their church. “Sometimes, we would have just finished eating supper and mom would re-set the table for strangers who came in hungry,” he added. “Giving is nothing new to them. This is just a bigger step.”
Overton graduated from Campbell University in 1957 when it was a junior college. He immediately went into the banking industry. Feeling called into fulltime ministry, he went back to school in 1965 to earn his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and his master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1971. Throughout those later years in school, he had a family and he says he knows what it’s like to go to school, work and care for a family.
“We want to help anyone who is going into the ministry,” says Mrs. Overton. “We’ve been through it and know what it’s like.” Overton says they chose Campbell because he had been a student there and because they see how God is blessing the school today.
The Overtons gave their gift through the North Carolina Baptist Foundation.
“Allen and Joanne are an humble couple with a firm conviction that God’s richest blessings call not only for our very best living, but our very best giving,” says Dr. Tom Denton, Eastern Area director for the foundation.
“Allen and Joanne symbolize the best about being good stewards,” adds Dean Michael G. Cogdill. “Their vision has never been limited to themselves. We are very grateful for their generous gift to the Divinity School. God will use these resources to bless many students for years to come.”
Overton is from Apex and Mrs. Overton is from Carpenter. They have served Evergreen Baptist Church, Delway; Sandy Branch Baptist Church, Bear Creek; and Immanuel Baptist Church, Clinton, from which he retired.
 

Bulletin 0041-2/22/05