Overstake named editor of Hillsboro Star-Journal
Faith and family are reasons Grant Overstake left the journalism world and now faith and family are bringing him back.
Overstake, from Fort Scott, began this week as the editor of the Hillsboro Star-Journal. He will assume full editorial responsibility in the paper's next edition.
"There are several very good newspapers in Marion County," he said, "but only this one has a clear mandate to cover only Hillsboro all of the time.
"Our measure of success will be making this paper better and helping to make Hillsboro an even better place to live than it already is."
Overstake, a graduate of The University of Kansas School of Journalism, began his professional career at age 18 as a part-time reporter for The Wichita Eagle.
While at Kansas, he continued working as a correspondent for The Eagle and was campus editor of The University Daily Kansan. He earned special recognition by winning a prestigious William Randolph Hearst Award in the National Collegiate Journalism Contest.
In addition, he and his wife, Claire also had time to earn varsity letters on the Jayhawk track teams, in the decathlon and hurdles-sprints, respectively.
After graduation, Grant took a position as the managing editor of The Johnson City (Kans.) Pioneer.
Under his management, The Pioneer was recognized in 1980 by the Kansas Press Association as state's best small weekly newspaper.
Lured into working for one of the nation's most-respected newspapers, the then 24-year-old left Kansas to become a staff writer for The Miami Herald with Claire joining him on the cross-country journey.
But the Overstakes would soon discover that spouses were like after-thoughts at The Herald — where the paper came first, no matter what.
"At that level, most newspaper people have no time for family, or children, or a life other than their jobs," he said.
Disillusionment with the daily grind at one of the nation's largest newspapers led Grant to a life-changing conversion to Christianity.
After four more years at the paper, Overstake took a job in the business world. He and Claire had three children, 16 months apart. And it was during this time that the couple felt the call to enter ordained ministry.
They became full-time officers (ministers) in The Salvation Army, serving the poor and needy in inner-city Chicago and Muscatine, Iowa.
"It was an unforgettable missionary experience for us," Overstake said.
After serving five years in The Salvation Army, Claire returned to full-time teaching and Grant continued serving as a pastor, in the United Methodist Church.
From 1997 through 2001, he served Methodist churches in Stafford, Leavenworth and rural Fort Scott Kansas.
For the past four years Grant has again worked for The Salvation Army, as a fund-raiser, advisory board trainer, and public relations liaison in southeastern Kansas.
As their youngest child prepared for her high school graduation, Grant decided it was OK to return to the time-consuming occupation he has always loved.
In his search for the right newspaper job, he responded to a blind advertisement, which turned out to be the opening at the Hillsboro Star-Journal.
"We wanted to manage a newspaper in a community that was progressive and yet had roots in traditional Christian values," he said. "Hillsboro matches that description perfectly.
"The way so many doors have opened for us here assures us this is where God us to be."
The Overstakes' children are Bethany, 21, a junior at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Neb., majoring in theatre and political science; Garrison, 19, who completed his freshman year in college and may attend training to become a firefighter; and Jillian, 18, a recent graduate of Fort Scott High School. She is an aspiring writer and plans to attend Hendrix College, Conway, Ark.
