Carolyn A. Underwood (Nee Miller)

Carolyn “Ann” Underwood, 79, of Brookfield, WI passed away peacefully on December 22, 2022 at Brookdale Assisted Living after a very courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.  Ann was born in Dayton, OH to the late Captain Louis Ezra Miller and Ruby Ann Tefft . She is preceded in death by her late husband, Paul Louis Underwood and  survived by her three children, Michael and his wife Karla Fournier, Heidi and her husband Michael Stewart, Jeffrey and his wife Candy, her grandchildren Alex Zelewski and his wife Leah, Lauren and Nicholas Doedens, and Maylin and Andrew Underwood.  Ann grew up an only child in Marietta, OH and graduated in 1960 from Fairmont High School in Kettering, OH. Ann spent two years studying education at Miami University, in Oxford, OH, but found that her passions laid elsewhere. After a two-week whirlwind relationship initiating from a blind date, she married the love of her life, Paul Louis Underwood in February 1965. They initially moved to Anacortes, WA, , but soon returned to the Midwest where they established roots in Whitewater, WI. She quickly assimilated into the small town culture where she managed the Hawk Bowl, and later worked in the Student Activities office at UW-Whitewater. She was actively involved in the Junior Women’s Club, and secretary of both junior and adult bowling leagues. In 1985, the family moved to Milwaukee where she worked as the secretary to the college guidance counselor for University School of Milwaukee, and ultimately retired from her working career as an office manager at Carpenter Brothers.  Ann always had a love for music, learning to play the piano at a young age. She was an avid fan of Barry Manilow and would travel the country to see his concerts with her friends and making new ones across the country and around the world. She even served as president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club (BMIFC). Her highlight was a concert where she sang “Can’t Smile Without You” with him on stage.  She and Paul retired to Sun City, AZ in 2006 where she was active in the Willowbrook United Methodist Church as a singer and secretary for the choir.. Ann enjoyed bowling, reading, playing cards with friends and family, traveling, playing games on the computer as well as watching game shows and murder mystery shows and had a love for Bassett Hounds.

A private memorial service will be held later this year with friends and family.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the memory of Carolyn Ann Underwood to the Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.