Joan Holtermann remembers when Harrison Overocker ’72 lost his Union class ring last fall.
“Harry had tears running down his face,” said Holtermann, an ombudsman with the state Office for the Aging. “He was just so devastated.”
Thanks to members of the Union community and employees at the Glendale Nursing Home in Scotia, where he lives, Overocker has a new ring.
“Wow,” Overocker said, wiping his eyes when presented with the ring and a Union sweatshirt Wednesday. “My ring was a graduation present from my mother; it means so much to have this one.”
The 75-year-old was a longtime College employee. He first came onboard in 1957 and earned an English degree in the years that followed. In 1980, he was promoted to warehouseman, a position he held until his retirement in January 1998.
"Facilities, his former department, held an internal fundraising drive that generated $270," said Eric Noll, director of Human Resources. "Glendale made up the difference to replace the lost ring.”
Gwen Sellie of Facilities worked with Overocker. She understands why the ring is so important to him.
“Harry has no living relatives, he considers Union his family,” she said. “His father was also a College employee so Harry’s relationship with Union is a long one.”
“When his wife passed away, our department planted a sugar maple tree along the Nott Street fence in her memory,” Sellie added. “The tree means a lot to Harry, as does his relationship with the College.”