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Memorial service will be held Saturday, May 6th, 11:00 a.m. for Robert E. "Pete" Underwood at Greenlawn Southwest Memorial Chapel, 2739 Panama Lane. Ed Underwood, son and Phil Walker, son-in-law will officiate.
Robert Edward Underwood, better known as "Pete", was born on April 26, 1921 in Muldrow, Oklahoma.
He went home to be with the Lord Jesus on Sunday, April 23, 2006.
The trademark of Pete Underwood's life was his cheerful contentment. He delighted in his family and always seemed to have time for the little ones - his face lit up when a baby came near. Pete had great memories of his childhood in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona.
His large family migrated west from the hopeless "Dust Bowl" of the Great Plains before the Depression. The 30s made the situation even worse. The Underwood's lived the life Steinbeck glamorized in Grapes of Wrath. Theirs was the hard life of the Okie migrant workers, but to hear Pete and his family talk about it, those years were full of excitement and adventure. They finally "settled" in Arvin, CA.
Like most young men of his generation, World War II pulled Pete from the hopeless and penniless days of the depression to the noble cause of defeating fascism. Pete served with various engineer units in the 5th Army from 1942 to 1945. He fought in the North African Campaign, invaded Italy and fought to Rome, and then was waiting to invade Japan when the war ended.
After the war Pete came home to a much different world. He met his future wife, Jonita Patrick, in the foothills of the Tehachapi's while they both served on staff of the Stony Brook Tuberculosis Retreat and Hospital. Pete and Jonita were married in Las Vegas on June 12, 1948. They made their home in Bakersfield, raising two children, Eddie and Debbie.
Pete drove trucks for Kern Valley Packing and Golden Bear. Well-liked by his fellow drivers and customers, he was a man who truly loved his work.
Pete and his family started attending Central Baptist Church where they all trusted in Christ.
Two heart attacks and an open-heart surgery forced Pete into retirement in 1985. During their retirement Pete and Jonita were active in the lives of their children and grandchildren.
They traveled to Israel, Germany, Michigan, Texas and Oklahoma to visit the kids.
In 1989 they moved to Glide, Oregon to be near family and were very active at North Umpqua Bible Fellowship, hosting a small groups in their home.
In 1991 they moved back home to Bakersfield. Though Pete's health continued to fail, the Lord gave him two more years with us before He called "Papa" home. Pete's hope of heaven and every redeemed heart's expectation of seeing him there is based on the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47).
In lieu of flowers, make donations to International Christian Ministries, P.O. Box 9071, Bakersfield, CA 93389.
No visitation is scheduled.
Greenlawn Southwest Mortuary
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