Funeral services for Jean will be held on Friday, October 11, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Visitation will be on Thursday, October 10, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association. For more information or to send a condolence, please visit: www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Jean and her family.

Jean was born on October 22, 1928 in Americus, Indiana, the eldest child of Edward and Ruth (Fawley) Underhill. She attended school at Americus and Delphi, Indiana, and began working at an early age (she had claimed to be working by age 8-12). While waitressing at a cafe, she met her future husband Merle, after he returned from service in WWII. Merle and Jean were married on June 28, 1946 in Delphi, Indiana. Together they were blessed with three sons; Lyle Douglas, Timothy Wayne and Rokk Alan.

After Jean and Merle moved to Iowa in the late 1940’s, they eventually settled in the Marshalltown area in the early 1950’s. Jean worked at various jobs, but was best remembered for being a very friendly and efficient waitress at Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, where she worked for over 35 years.

Jean is lovingly remembered for her delicious home-cooked meals and love for her family and large extended family. As the oldest sibling of 15 children, Jean felt a lot of responsibility in helping out with many of her younger brothers and sisters. Eventually Jean and Merle took in several of her siblings to live with them until they could get established on their own. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren as well as her sisters and brothers and their families. She looked forward to the annual Underhill and Ridout family gatherings and was also a favorite aunt to many of her nephews and nieces. Jean delighted in shopping and collecting bird figurines. She also enjoyed decorating her home, especially for the holidays. When celebrating with her family, she made sure there was no shortage of presents for everyone. She enjoyed traveling to see her siblings in Indiana and Washington and also to see her son and family in Albuquerque, NM. In her later years she loved spending time with Barney, her loyal dog of 13 years who rarely left her side unless he was chasing squirrels.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sons Lyle Douglas (Carole) of Marshalltown, Timothy Wayne (Debbie) of Green Mountain, and Rokk Alan (LuAnn) of Alta. Her grandchildren Ryan (Melody) Ridout, Brady (Rosie) Ridout, Bradley (Karima) Ridout, Brandon (Elizabeth) Ridout, Tressa (Eric) Voss, Jeremiah Ridout, Alyssa (Ryan) Rusk, Gina (Collin) Davis, and Luke (Courtney) Ridout as well as 23 great-grandchildren. Her great-grandchildren include; Alexis, Reagan, Kenady, Jaxson, Brooklyn, Ethan, Austin, Gabrielle, Bodhi, Trevor, Andrew, Nicholas and Simon Ridout, CayDen and Nolan Bartlett, Charlotte and Elliott Voss, Elise, Kaitlyn and Natalie Rusk, Zack Chanchom, Pierce Davis and Keagen Meyer. She will also be lovingly remembered by her brothers Duane (Denise), Tom (Sheryl), and Dennis (Vicki), sisters Juanita Giles, Shirley Johns, Carol (Larry) Adams, and Sandra Anderson, her sisters-in-law Cathy Underhill, Jeannie Underhill, Margaret Ridout, Maurine Ridout, dear friend Linda Underhill and many loved nephews and nieces. She will also be missed by her furry companion, Barney. Jean was preceded in death by her husband Merle, parents Edward Underhill and Ruth Underhill Edwards, her siblings Eddie, Duke, Stephen, Lenny, Robert and Patsy Underhill, Marlene Baker and by many other brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.