Charles H. Underwood

Chuck Underwood entered into the presence of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 17, 2017. (Psalms 116:15; II Corinthians 5:6-8). Visitation will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. Funeral service will take place at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 27, 2017, at First Federated Church, 4801 Franklin Avenue, Des Moines. Interment at Iowa Veterans Cemetery will follow the service at 2:00 p.m., friends and family are welcome.

His life verses were Proverbs 3:5-6; Joshua 1:9 and 24:15. He was born February 28, 1924, the second son of Phil and Dorothy Underwood, Ringsted, Iowa. He graduated from Ringsted, Iowa High School in 1941 and entered Iowa State College that same fall. Chuck was inducted into the U.S. Army in January 1943. He served three years with the 517th Field Artillery Battalion including 14 months in the SW Pacific Theatre, rising to the rank of Sargent Major. Chuck’s unit received two battle stars. He was decorated with a bronze star medal. His unit received a Presidential Citation from the President of the Philippines. He was honorably discharged in January 1946.

Chuck re-entered Iowa State in September 1946 and earned a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education in March 1949. He was elected student body president in 1948. In an interim position as a 4-H youth assistant, he met the “love of his life”, Edith L. Bowen. They were married September 5, 1948. He was a Vocational Ag instructor in Clarinda, Iowa. In 1950, he was appointed as Farm Bureau field man in Page and Crawford Counties. He served as a career underwriter, Farm Bureau Insurance, and then as an Agency Manager in Audubon and Sioux counties. Chuck was appointed Farm Bureau Insurance Training Director in 1965, later designated Agency Development Vice President. He received his CLU in 1981 and accepted a voluntary early retirement in August 1983. He then served four years on lay staff at First Federated as director for small group ministries. The Underwoods continued to be active members of First Federated Church since 1969, and Gideons International since 1966.

In 1989, he was appointed Manager for the Central Iowa Area Evangelistic Crusade with Dr. Luis Palau. He was active in CrossTrainers and America’s Family Coaches. In February 1991, Governor Terry Branstad appointed Chuck to co-chair a state-wide salute to Iowa Veterans, recognizing the dedicated service of all Iowa Veterans.

Chuck is survived by two daughters, Nancy (John) Maehl, and Elizabeth (Paul) Womacks; two sons, Richard (Anne Margaret) Underwood and William (Sheryl) Underwood; a Vietnamese foster son and wife, Tri (Myvan) Dang; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren;

Preceding him in death were his beloved wife of 61 years, Edith; his parents, Phil and Dot (Gaylord) Underwood; sister, Dorothy Helen; brothers, Warren, Max, Herbert, and Ray Underwood; three sisters-in-law, Jacque (Max), Charlotte (Herbert), and Joan (Ray) Underwood; and a niece, Jackie Sue Underwood.

Chuck and his family would especially like to thank Dr. Robert Bender, MD, our family physician for many years, and the staff at Scottish Rite Park, Des Moines, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, Chuck’s family encourages donations for Gideon International for the purchase and placements of scriptures world-wide, or First Federated Church Building Fund. Online condolences may be expressed at www.Hamiltonsfuneralhome.com.

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