BELLE FOURCHE - The bronze of children playing in Herrmann Park was already in place; the formal dedication of the memorial for the late Lem and Helen Overpeck was held Wednesday, June 8, by friends and family of the well-known Belle Fourche couple that served their community and state for decades.
The bronze replica of the couple as children is dedicated to the children who enjoy Herrmann Park as much as Lem did as he grew up literally across the street, and to his wife whose youthful love of sports and coaching brought her to the Northern Hills and marriage in 1939.
Liz Manning, one of the Overpeck children, said the dedication of the bronze memorial comes just a few months short of her father's 100th birthday in September.
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"Neither one of them would have been comfortable with this statue or putting it here," she wrote.
The bronze was crafted by nationally-recognized sculptor Ken Bjorge of Bigfoot, Mont., who knew the Overpecks when he was a college student.
Lem Overpeck not only practiced law in Belle Fourche for more than half a century, he also served as city attorney, county attorney and state's attorney. He represented Butte County in the South Dakota Legislature, served as president of the South Dakota Board of Regents, and was South Dakota's lieutenant governor.
Liz said, "Dad did many wonderful things quietly, without notice; he would prefer that they stay that way."
Helen Overpeck was born in Ironton, Ohio, and came to Black Hills Teachers College in 1938 from Ohio State University to teach physical education.
From then on, she taught tennis, swimming, golf, dance, archery and any other sport that needed a coach to organize and teach.
"This bronze replica of a young Lem and Helen Overpeck is meant to be a celebration of life in a small town," Liz wrote. "They believed in this town and all it offers to the children who grow up here, both during their childhood and in preparation for their future, no matter where that future may take them."
The Overpeck children include Gretchen Haahr of Storm Lake, Iowa, Janifer Farquhar of Plymouth, Minn., Lizabeth Manning of Spearfish and Marylu Ledeburh of Eden Prairie, Minn.