Patty Overland was born July 1, 1953 in Brooklyn and died July 30, 2025 in Oakland at age 72 from natural causes complicated by lifelong disabilities. She was raised in Staten Island as the eldest of three daughters and treasured her Irish/Norwegian ancestry, visiting Ireland with her mother. Academically outstanding, she was valedictorian of both eighth grade and high school, earned scholarships, attended NYU and Fordham, and later graduated from the College of Alameda with a degree in Special Education assistance. Gifted with a photographic memory, she became a critical thinker and activist who challenged systems in education, medicine, mental health, and rights for women, lesbians, and disabled people. She co-founded a disabled women’s wheelchair basketball team and built a large community of friends and family while navigating lifelong emotional and physical challenges.
Patty Overland. Courtesy of her friends and family Patricia Overland, better known as Patty, was born in Brooklyn on July 1, 1953, and left this earth on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the age of 72 in Oakland. Patty died of natural causes complicated by debilitating lifelong disabilities. She joins her dearly beloved parents, Peg and Tom Overland in death.
Patty was raised in Staten Island and was the eldest of three daughters, including her sisters Jeanne and Peggy. Patty was very proud of her Irish/Norwegian ancestry and she was able to visit Ireland with her mother Peg, which was a dream come true. From an early age Patty was a voracious reader and academically truly brilliant. She was valedictorian of both her 8th grade and high school classes, earned scholarships and attended NYU and Fordham University in New York.
Gifted with both a photographic memory and a bright mind she was a critical thinker and a rebel scholar who frequently questioned the broken systems in education, medicine, mental health and equal rights for women, lesbians and her disabled community. Patty was a self-described Crip Dyke Mental, having survived a suicide attempt at the age of 19 in New York City which left her with her physical disabilities.
She moved to Oakland in her early 20s and eventually relocated to Berkeley to live more independently and be at the epicenter of the disability rights movement. She struggled most of her life with both emotional and physical challenges, yet still managed to survive, create a large community of loving friends and family, and live life to her fullest potential.
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