Arlus Ray Underwood

© Cheyenne Star

Submitted by: Wanda Purcell

Graveside services for retired Army Staff Sgt. Arlus Ray Underwood, 65, of Florence was at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Underwood died Friday at a Round Rock Nursing Home.

He was born on October 30, 1931, in Strong City, Oklahoma and was raised and educated in Dodge City, Kansas.

Underwood had lived in the Florence area since 1968.

Before he retired in 1975 from the U.S. Army with 25 years of service, he had been awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal eight times, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star.

Underwood had served to tours of duty in the Vietnam War.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8577 in Copperas Cove.

Survivors include his wife, Anneliese Underwood of Florence; two sons, Gary Ray Underwood of Copperas Cove and Jimmy Lee Underwood of Florence; four daughters Gabrielle Mathews of Houston, Marina Vankemseke of Hatboro, Pa and Charlene Ortego and Linda Winkey, both of Georgetown; one brother, Howard Underwood of Derby, Kansas; two sisters, Phynon Kelly and Leona Lovelace, both of Liberal, Kansas and 12 grandchildren.