John Kenneth Underhill Jr.

John Kenneth Underhill, Jr. 97, went to be with our Lord April 15, 2020, in Pinellas County, Florida. Ken was born May 22, 1922, in Summit, Oregon, to John and Mary Underhill. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 67 years, Dortha in 2012. He is survived by their children, Donald (Vicki) Underhill of Warden, Washington, Janice (Bob) Highsmith of Seminole, Florida, and Marilee Hicks of Spokane Valley, Washington; 5 grandchildren, Denisen (Melissa) Ellis, John Hicks, Kiani (Tyson) Wallerstein, Nathan Hicks and Sami Savage; 12 great grandchildren and sister, Bessie (Harlan) Skelton. He was predeceased by his sister, Maxine Hilfiker; his brother, Horace (Virginia) Underhill and close friend, Dolores Murphy.

Ken grew up on a farm in Oregon and graduated from Philomath High School. He was an Army Lieutenant in World War II and a tank unit commander in the Central European and Rhine Land campaigns. He graduated from Oregon State College with a degree in Farm Management in 1947. He instructed veterans in farm management and worked as a field man for a farm co-op in Portland, Oregon.

Ken married Dortha Elliott in 1944 and they had three children. The family moved to Warden, Washington in 1955 to develop a farm in the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. Ken was for a time also a loan officer for the Farmers Home Administration and he was the Supervisor for the Warden Conservation District for many years. Their son, Don earned a degree in Agriculture from WSU and returned to farm with Ken, continuing the farming operation after Ken retired about 1988. Ken & Dortha enjoyed many years of traveling together, including 13 winters in Arizona, trips to England, Alaska, Hawaii, Okinawa, Brazil, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Panama Canal. They also enjoyed many trips in an RV as members of the Wannigan Travel Club. They were active members of Warden Community Church.

After Dortha passed in 2012, Ken spent winters in Florida and moved there full-time in 2014, where he was active in Oakhurst United Methodist Church and enjoyed the companionship of Dolores Murphy and her family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Oakhurst United Methodist Church, 13400 Park Blvd, Seminole, Florida 33776 or to Warden Community Church, 201 W. 3rd St. Warden, WA 98857.

Interment will be at the Warden Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Warden, Washington. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.dignitymemorial.com.

Arrangements were made under the direction of Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home 7901 131st Street N., Seminole, FL 33776 / 727-391-0121