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Obituary: Dana, Donna Underwood, Formerly Of White Plains, Pleasantville

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Dana R. and Donna J. Underwood, a White Plains couple, recently died within months of each other. 

Dana and Donna Underwood recently died within months of each other.

Dana and Donna Underwood recently died within months of each other.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Donna Jeanne (Speerman) Underwood died peacefully on Sept. 16, 2016; her husband Dana Roland Underwood died on Dec. 26, 2016. 

Dana R. was born April 23, 1931, the second of five children to Dana Herbert and Alta (Van Riper) Underwood in Owosso, Mich. The following year, Donna was born January 30, 1932, the only child of Ted and Ruth (Bosserdet) Speerman, also in Owosso. 

They attended Owosso High School where Dana R. discovered tennis, an activity he enjoyed into his 80’s, and Donna her love of music through the clarinet and piano. They graduated in 1949 receiving scholarships to the University of Michigan where they studied mathematics, and Donna discovered live theater, as a set and costume designer, a director, and forever an appreciative theater-goer. 

They graduated with degrees in mathematics and Donna turned to teaching at Edsel Ford High School. Dana worked briefly at Willow Run before joining IBM as an applied mathematician. They were married in Ann Arbor in 1955, and moved to Pleasantville, to raise their family. 

They are survived by their daughter, Dana Elizabeth (Chris) Underwood of Kalamazoo, Mich.; son, Colin Andrew (Reiko Tanese) Underwood and children, Katie, Ellie, and Sophie of Briarcliff Manor; son, Scott (Mary) Coley and children Isaiah, Khadijah and Steven of Bolingbrook, ILL.; and Zhihua (Hai) Tang; as well as Dana R.’s siblings, Joyce Wisecup, Jo Dickerman, Patricia (Marv) Sanders, David (Joy) Underwood, and many nieces and nephews, and friends around the world. 

A memorial service will be held March 25, at 2:00 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Mich. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friends in Deed, 1196 Ecorse Rd, Ypsilanti, or First Presbyterian Church, 1432 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48104. 

Family and friends may share a condolence message online at www.joldersma-klein.com.

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