James Allen Underwood

Mr. James Allen Underwood, 84, retired 32 year employee of Union Carbide Corporation and member of Operating Engineers Local #912, died Friday, October 7, 2005 at his residence on Alpine Drive. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Rev. James Gardner officiating. Burial will be in the Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors at graveside provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Craft Memorial United Methodist Church, 907 Hatcher Lane, Columbia, 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the son of the late Emmett G. Underwood and Mary Ellen Williams Shrike. Mr. Underwood served in the U. S. Navy during World War II from September 1940 to October 1945 and during the Korean War as a Navy Sonar Operator Second Class from October 1950 to October 1951. He was a member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19 and Life Member of VFW Post #4969. An honoree of the recently dedicated WWII Memorial in Washington, D. C., he also participated in shipmate reunions of the USS O"Bannon.He was a member of Craft Memorial United Methodist Church and a Life Member of Columbia Masonic Lodge #31. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lorene Beasley Underwood of Columbia; three sons, Allen Underwood of Columbia, Richard Underwood of Atlanta, Georgia and Michael and wife, Gina Underwood of Dublin, California; three grandchildren, Lisa and husband, Captain Eric Segarra of El Paso, Texas, Yolanda Underwood of San Ramon, California, and Michael Underwood of Dublin, California; two sisters, Eleanor Underwood of Los Altos, California and Jane Ownby of Franklin, Kentucky; a great-grandchild, Katelyn Segarra. He was preceded in death by a son, Emmett Gray Underwood.Pallbearers will be his loving sons, grandson and nephews. Honorary pallbearers are Ruth Duke, Jane and Darrell Falconbury and Billy and Juanita Lee.Jim wanted to express a special thank you to Dr. William Robinson and Dr. Robert MacArthur for the excellent medical care he received from them over many years. His family would like to say thank you also to the nurses at Caris Home Healthcare who were so helpful in fulfilling his wishes to be at home. He was dearly beloved and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and neighbors.