The family later moved to Weston in northeast Oregon, where Overhulse graduated from high school.

After leaving the district attorney position, he became president of Jefferson County Title and Abstract Company and bought a farm near Madras.

During this period, Overhulse was active in the Madras Odd Fellows lodge, the local Lions Club, the Prineville Elks chapter, and the Chamber of Commerce.

[12] However, Overhulse fell seriously ill with rheumatic fever in March and missed the latter half of the session.

[20] During the session, Overhulse served on a special committee that studied and made recommendations to update Oregon election laws.

[21] In 1956, Overhulse decided to run for a new state senate seat created by Oregon voters in 1954.

On the 289th ballot, Harry D. Boivin broke ranks with his fellow Democrats and voted for Overhulse instead of Pearson.

As a result, Overhulse was unanimously elected President of the Senate, becoming the first Democrat to hold that position in 79 years.

[26] As a conservative rural legislator, Overhulse sometimes voted with the Republicans, but also stood with fellow Democrats on many issues.

When friends in Central Oregon decided to honor Overhulse at a tribute dinner in Madras, over 300 civic and political leaders from around the state attended.

The speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives also attended along with numerous other legislators, who rented a bus for the trip from Salem to Madras and back.

In addition, Governor Robert D. Holmes, United States Senator Wayne Morse, Oregon congressman Al Ullman, and Portland mayor Terry Schrunk all sent personal telegrams which McCall read to the guests at the dinner.

[36] In October of that year, a special legislative session was call to pass a tax relief bill.

Pearson appointed Overhulse chairman of the senate's powerful State and Federal Affairs Committee.

[45][46][47] The new senate President, Harry Boivin, appointed Overhulse to the state and federal affairs, judiciary, and labor and industries committees.

[54][55] In 2014, his family presented a collection of Overhulse's personal memorabilia to the Jefferson County Historical Society.

The collection included the gavel Overhulse used while he was senate president along with a scrapbook of news articles and photographs from his tenure.