Joan Underwood

Joan Underwood
June 13, 2023
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Joan Underwood passed away on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 following a brief illness. She was among family and familiar surroundings when the transition took place. But as Arlo Guthrie, whose concerts she enjoyed with son Douglas, would say, that's not what I came to talk about, for the details of her death pale in comparison to the details of the life she lived. Some pertinent facts: She was born in 1930 in Summit, NJ to Helen and Carner Cain, earned a B.A. from Drew University in 1952, and married Richard Underwood in 1953. In her 30's, she became the mother twice, of Margaret and then Douglas. She also earned a Master's Degree in teaching.
As a devoted mother, she handmade Halloween costumes for her children, she painted and crafted innumerable art projects with and for them. She took her daughter to years of horse riding lessons, museums, and concerts; she took her son to stamp shows, art house and European cinema shows, Bob Dylan concerts, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show midnight movies. The family travelled abroad to England and Switzerland.
While doing all this, she also was a teacher at a school for economically disadvantaged youth in Hartford, CT; she became the President of the League of Women Voters in Connecticut; gave guided tours of the State Capital in Hartford; and fought for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
The family moved to Charlotte, NC in 1975 where her husband, Richard became the Chairman of the Religious Studies Department at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Joan worked at the University Library, and took advantage of the Arts department, continuing her lifetime of creativity and becoming an avid potter. She continued working at the library for the next three decades developing many friendships and keeping young at heart in that atmosphere.
Her granddaughter, Linda, the daughter of her son Douglas and his wife Mercedes became the brightest of lights in her life. Mercedes brought three children into the marriage with Douglas. Monica Posse, Julian Posse, and Andrea Posse, also got to know and love Joan, as she did them. When they had children (Natalia and Alex, Gianna and Miriam, and Sophia and Leo), she became a Great Grandmother to them as well. They all, especially Mercedes, Monica, and Linda, were tireless and loving caregivers of Joan until her final days.
Joan was an intrepid and enthusiastic traveller. Following the death of her husband, Joan was able to travel more, and enjoyed trips abroad to Greece, England, Spain, France, and finally, last December, to Ireland where she visited Linda in her new home. She also enjoyed her travels to California, New Mexico, the Carolinas coast (especially Brookhaven Gardens), and to Oregon to see her daughter, Maggie A cherished memory is Joan in her late 70s slinging on her backpack, boarding the Amtrak Coast Starlight, and journeying solo from Portland to the downtown Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. And in her mid-80s she walked the hills surrounding Barcelona to get a better view of the city with the Mediterranean Sea in the background. During her trips to Greece, Joan explored her passion for Greek mythology and history. At home she was an active and founding member of Charlotte Friends of Jung, participated in Feldenkrais exercise classes, and supported the Charlotte Symphony as a season ticket holder. Joan frequently enjoyed dance performances, varied cultural events, and popular music concerts (such as Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson), accompanied by children and grandchildren as often as possible.
Joan's passing has hit the whole family hard. She lived a long and full life and she is greatly missed. She used to say that she wanted the song, "There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)" from the Rocky Horror movie to be played at her memorial. She got to hear it one last time the night before she died. There's a line in that song that sums up what Joan meant to those who loved her, "There's a light. . . light in the darkness of everybody's life."
In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring her with a donation to the Richard A. and Joan C. Underwood Scholarship in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, online at:
www.charlotte.edu. There is a link at the top of the page, "Make a Gift." That will take you to the Giving Page. You will then type in the name of the scholarship in the search box and then follow the prompts.
Or checks may be mailed to:
Judy Lekoski
Director of Development
UNC Charlotte/University Advancement
9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28223
Surviving her are the above mentioned family, as well as her brother Peter Cain, his wife Marian, and their son Joel. Predeceasing Joan were her mother and father, her beloved aunt Margaret Cathcart, and husband Richard.
A formal memorial service has yet to be arranged.