Gwen Underwood
March 16, 1922 - September 29, 2014Gwen Bass Underwood passed peacefully from this life after complications following hip surgery on September 29, 2014. Three daughters, Jodi Parr, Cindy Tarver, Kim Harkness and her husband, Tom, survive her. Eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren, five nephews, one niece, and their spouses and families also survive her.

She was born a fraternal twin in Saratoga, Texas, to John Riley and Viola Mae Bass on March 16, 1922. Even her earliest memories were loving ones of her older sister, Joyce, and her twin brother Glenn Donald. Somehow in her early childhood she became known as Sis and her twin brother as Son to their extended family.

She grew up in the Houston area and graduated from Sweeny High School in 1940 having been a softball player, band majorette, class treasurer and class beauty queen.

In 1940, she married her high school sweetheart, Joseph Hood Dunham. She had her first two children, Jo Gwen and Beverly Joyce. Hood was killed in WWII in 1945 on Okinawa.

She married Dero Wilson Underwood July 10, 1949. They had two more daughters, Cynthia Dee and Kimberly Gail and eventually settled in Midland, Texas, where they raised their four daughters.

Their retirement home on Lake LBJ was a dream fulfilled where Gwen relished frequent visits from the ever growing family, sewing, painting and enjoying the Hill Country and its beauty. She spent months each year in Lake City, Colorado, jeeping, fishing and exploring with long time friends.

Her last years were spent in Austin at The Summit at Westlake Hills where she anticipated weekly visits from her five generations. Her family cherished her for her loving care, compassion, strength, wit and hysterical sarcasm, which remained with her up to the very end.

The last two years tested her strength of character as she endured the losses of her daughter Beverly, her son-in-law Dave and her husband of 64 years.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff of the Westlake Summit and the Brookdale Hospice team for nurturing, caring, loving and supporting us all through the years.