Sarah Underwood, age 95, passed away March 31, 2015, at Traditions II, in Owatonna. Funeral service will be 11 am Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the Brick-Meger Funeral Home (1603 Austin Rd.) with the Rev. Katherine Gibson Christensen presiding. There will be a one hour visitation prior to the funeral starting at 10 am. Interment will be at Owatonna Memorial Gardens.
Sarah E.O. Underwood was born July 30th 1919 just north of Leland, Iowa, the daughter of Peter and Sarah (Holtan) Haugen. Her mother Sarah Haugen died shortly after her birth. Her Aunt Tilda cared for her and the household duties, while her father Peter worked the farm. A few years later Peter and Tilda married. They had a son Truman Haugen. Sarah attended school in Leland Iowa, and Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. After college she taught Country School in rural Winnebago County. On October 1, 1939 she married C. Duane Underwood, whom she met in Forest City, Ia.
Sarah and Duane owned and operated several businesses in Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota, they included a grocery Store, Meat Market, an Egg Route, a Family Restaurant in New Richland MN, Jewel Tea Grocery delivery door to door, Painting and Decorating. She participated in the day to day accounting and management of the businesses. Later She worked at Johnson Radio in Waseca, MN, Owatonna Clinic, as a receptionist (where she started their appointment system). She spent her last 20 working years at Gamble Skogmo, as office manager for the Print Division, at first in Minneapolis MN and later in Golden Valley, MN.She retired to Geneva MN. She was active at Community Lutheran Church of Geneva. Shortly after her husband Duane's death she relocated to Morehouse Place. Later, moving to Ecumen Countryside, and then to Traditions II, all in Owatonna.
She is survived by a daughter, Lana Vincent of Minneapolis MN, and her children, Terry Grunwald, Troy (Bobbie) Grunwald, Tracy Grunwald, and Travis (Schelly) Grunwald; one son, Lynn (Betsy) Underwood, of Sun City AZ, and his children Sarah (Jeff) Mckay, Matthew (Tracee) Underwood; overall twenty three great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Two sister-in-laws, Marlys Haugen of Leland IA and Darlene Krause of N. St Paul MN.
Sarah was preceded in death by Husband, C. Duane Underwood, brother, Truman Haugen, son-in-laws, Henry Grunwald, and Walter (Curly) Vincent; brothers and sisters-in-law: Asahel (Evelyn) Underwood, Ellsworth (Capitola) Underwood, Virgil Underwood, Ardell Underwood. Eunice (Paul) Paulson and many, many cousins.
For more information or to leave an online condolence message go to www.brick-megerfuneralhome.com.