Laura Ruth Underwood, 89, of Fremont passed away Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Methodist Fremont Health. She was born February 14, 1936 at Madison, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Harry D. and Mary Elizabeth (Leighty) Anderson, and the granddaughter of Hans Daniel and Frances E. (Willard) Anderson as well as John J. and Elizabeth A. (Humphrey) Leighty.
Her early years were spent in Carthage, South Dakota, and then when starting third grade the family moved to Huron, South Dakota. She graduated there in 1954 and went on to college at Wessington Springs, South Dakota. After a year she was hired by Woolworth Co. to help remodel the Sioux City store and open a new store in Hutchinson, Minnesota. In 1965 she returned to Huron to attend College and graduated in 1967.
July 23, 1967, she married Earl Underwood at Huron. She taught one year at De Smet, South Dakota, while her husband finished his degree at Huron College.
Laura and Earl moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and for three years she taught school in Louisville and southern Indiana. Earl completed seminary and they moved to Brandon, South Dakota, where they lived until 1976. Laura and Earl adopted their son Ray that year and then moved to Iowa where Laura was a homemaker. In 1979 the family moved to Marysville, Kansas, and then in 1989 they made moves to Ohio and Kentucky. In 1993 they moved from Kentucky to Clarkson. Upon her husband’s retirement in 2006 they moved to Fremont. In all of these places Laura was involved in community and church activities. She was a part of VFW Auxiliary, extension programs and community work projects. Laura taught Sunday school, sang in choirs and was a part of the Presbyterian Women. She was an elder as well as a deacon in her church.
Laura was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Willard and Daniel Anderson.
Survived by her husband, Rev. Dr. Earl Underwood, Fremont; son, Ray Underwood, Springfield; daughter-in-law, Sharon Jeffries and grandchildren, Derrek and Morgan, all of Falls City; brother, Glen (Marcia) Anderson, Ypsilanti, Michigan; and sister-in-law, Susanne Anderson, Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday December 24, 202,5 at the Presbyterian Church in Fremont. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont.
Burial will be at Ridge Cemetery in Fremont. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
