Ronald Lee Underwood

April 5, 1940-October 22, 2025

Ron wrote this several years ago.

I was born in Junction City, Kansas on April 5, 1940. While I may have been a native of Kansas (for the first eight years of my life), I consider myself a true Californian. (Oakdale-3 years, Modesto-55 years, and Fresno since 2006). Mom (Lois) and Dad (Howard) (both deceased) and a younger brother Jim (Phoenix) made up the family. I grew up in and still am a member of the United Methodist Church and for thirteen of my younger years was a Sunday school teacher and a Youth Fellowship Advisor.

I led a rather “normal” life, had a most meaningful career, and shared 52 wonderful years with a loving, caring wife, Sharon. I graduated from Modesto’s Downey High School and Fresno State College prior to returning to Downey for nine years to begin a 42-year teaching career. I added 33 more years at Modesto’s Beyer High School. I taught and coached speech and debate through all those years. There were hundreds of weekend speech tournaments with thousands of young speakers. And they (we) worked hard together and were quite successful, competitively. My final speech teaching/coaching came as a six-year assistant at Fresno’s Edison High School and then a five-year stint assisting at Wawona Middle School in Fresno.

I was proud to be honored with election to both the California and National Speech Hall of Fames as well as being a 10-diamond coach. I served on the California High School Speech Association Council for 46 years. I held the positions of Area II Chairman for 19 years, Curriculum VP for 2 years, VP of Activities for 3 years, secretary for 1 year, and curriculum representative, and representative at large. I was the co-author of the California High School Speech Association 50-year anniversary yearbook. I was the founder of the Redwood Middle School Speech and Debate League. I was the co-chairman of the first CHSSA Middle School speech tournament. Because I was never very athletic, I could only be a fan. And that I was. From the time I was ten years old I was a fan of San Francisco baseball. (Seals) And when the Giants arrived in ‘58 it became a lifetime affair.

The shining star of my life was Sharon. Through all of those 52 years, we shared most everything. She was a librarian at the school where I taught and she traveled and worked with us on all of our speech trips. Leisure travels together included many trips to Hawaii and Branson and other touristy places as well. Sharon always reminded me that “you could never get along without me.” And you know something-she was absolutely right.

Surviving me, in addition to Sharon and brother Jim, are nephew Adam Burger (San Jose), and nieces Angela Burger Diaz (Whittier), Belinda Burger (Fresno), Jessica Underwood (New York), Christine Reynoso (Altadena), great-nephew Elias Diaz (Whittier), and thousands of ex-speechies.

No one ever wants life to end, but, if it must, I know I’ve had a wonderful one, surrounded by wonderful people. And, if I could do it all over again, I would, without a doubt.

I love you Sharon and always will.

- Ron

Private family services were held. A donation in Ron’s name can be made to the charity of your choice.