Vernon Underwood

Memorial services are scheduled at 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 7 at First Baptist Church in Artesia for Vernon C. Underwood of Artesia. P PMr. Underwood, 51, died Monday, Dec. 4, 2006 in an accident. P PRev. Rick Sullivan will officiate at the services. Cremation has taken place. Honorary pallbearers will be Cody and Chance Underwood, Louis Gomez, Timmy Klein, David Jackson, Chet Armstrong, Lewis Derrick, Brad Morris and Ty Crook, Brandon Davis, J.J. Shannon, Miguel Duran, Brad Vierra and all of the North Eddy County Road Department crew. P PBorn on July 24, 1955 in Artesia to Lenoy and Mary Brazelton Underwood, Vernon married Leslie Harris on June 23, 1979 in Artesia. P PHe was raised on Turkey Track Ranch. He left in 1988 to farm and worked at TMC Bus Company as a lead welder. He was known as the pig man after years of participation with his children in the Chaves County Fair. He worked for the Eddy County Road Department as a light equipment operator. P PHis hobbies included hunting, raising cattle and participating in his childrens activities. P PHe was also a charter member of the newly formed Kiwanis Club in Artesia and a member of the First Baptist Church. P PHe was preceded in death by his parents, his grandfather, Frank Lockhart and father-in-law Allen Harris. P PSurvivors include his grandmother, Mary Lockhart of Artesia; wife Leslie Underwood, one daughter, Amanda Underwood of Amarillo, Texas; two sons, Cody Underwood of Cheyenne, Wyo. and Chance Underwood of Amarillo; one grandson, Hardy Dalton Underwood of Cheyenne; one brother, Lenoy Underwood of Cloudcroft, N.M.; mother-in-law Bonnie Harris; a niece Melanie Underwood; a nephew Brian Underwood, and many friends. P
The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Artesia Kiwanis Club or the the New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranch.