Mary Underwood, 91
Mary Underwood, age 91 of New Hampton, died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at the Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City, surrounded by her family. She has been residing at Colonial Manner in Elma.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton, with burial following in the New Hampton City Cemetery.
Visitation of friends and family will begin at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church before the Mass.
Services are entrusted to Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory in New Hampton.
On Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, a grateful family said goodbye to Mary Underwood. She was reunited in heaven with her husband Justin after a 16-year wait while surrounded by family. Her five children sent her off with prayers, hymns, pizza and as much love as they could return to the woman the family affectionately called Grandma Mary.
Born Mary Jean Wiley on Sept. 11, 1933, she married Justin Underwood on July 3, 1951, and gave everything she had to a 57-year partnership.
Though young, they were unafraid of hard work and sacrifice and set out to build a farm caring for mink and livestock of all kinds and raising crops. Times good and challenging came to pass, but, for Mary, the focus stayed solely on her family and her faith.
Selfless to the core she embraced work outdoors with the mink, tended a large garden, cooked every meal, baked luscious rolls, kept all the records and sewed clothes for dolls and kids alike, all while raising five children. Suffice it to say, everyone who visited left a little happier than when they arrived.
Mary took on her famous title of “Grandma Mary” in ’71 when the first of her 11 grandchildren was born. She entertained grandkids many Saturday evenings with healthy doses of TV dramas, Schwann’s ice cream, and sugar cookies with red hot decorations. Waving goodbye through the north window was the only hard thing.
While maintaining relationships with her children and friends, she found the time to crochet and quilt and to teach a little white poodle to dance. Always interested in the happenings at school, the crayon artwork, the toy tractors, plays, concerts, sports events … anything the grandkids were doing took top priority.
When Justin lost his battle with cancer in 2008, it was Grandma Mary’s time to turn to the family for support and everyone was there. Over the next 16 years, they gave her more and more great-grandchildren, all of whom loved her as much as that first little boy who was lucky enough to call her Grandma. Holding everyone close to the end, Grandma Mary would entertain the new crop of great-grandkids with her loving attention as they shared donuts together in the nursing home.
Grandma Mary’s life is an example of love and our family is left with the permanent wound of her absence. We will miss her dearly, but know it is now our turn to share and practice what she taught us with each other and with those future family members we don’t yet know. Her legacy is in our hands and we are comforted knowing she is happily reunited with Justin, who she loved with all her heart.
Thank you, Grandma.
Mary is survived by her children, Mike (Karla Matt) Underwood of Evansdale, Connie (Gene) Parson of Charles City, Ron (Deb) Underwood of New Hampton, Carol (Doug) Davies of Reno, Nevada, and Sharon (Steve) Kipp of Charles City; 11 grandchildren, Trevis (Alexandra) Parson, Ryan (Bryan Batz) Parson, Adam (Brittney) Underwood, Nathan (Tara) Underwood, Tyler (Morgan) Underwood, Laura (Jim) Garvin, Doug (Erin McNerney) Davies, Ali (Bryan) Arciniega, Seth Kipp, Sam Kipp and Talia (Mike Vacchina) Davies; 10 great-grandchildren, Sydney Parson, Henry Parson, Aiden Underwood, Lillee Underwood, Melia Underwood, Allison Underwood, Justin Underwood, Raleigh Underwood, Aurora Underwood and Austin Aciniega; sister, Eleanor (Cliff) Medberry of Elgin; and sisters-in-law, Orla Wiley of New Hampton, Janette Underwood of Waterloo, and Kay Carolan of Minneapolis.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Raymond and Helen (Felton) Wiley; husband, Justin Underwood on Aug. 16, 2008; brother, Ray Wiley Jr,; and sister, Louise Arens.
