William H. “Bill” Underwood

He was born on March 19, 1944 in Galesburg, IL, the son of Howard Walter and Mildred M. (Fair) Underwood. Bill was raised and educated in the Cameron area and graduated from Warren High School in 1962. He attended Monmouth College, and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago in 1965. Following his graduation from mortuary school, Bill worked as a funeral director at Yurs Funeral Home in St. Charles & Batavia, IL for a time. He then returned home and worked at Hinchcliff-Pearson-West Funeral Home in Galesburg and at Hoover Memorial Chapel in Monmouth. He maintained his funeral directors license for 50 years, and currently assisted with funerals at McGuire & Davies Funeral Home. In 1975 he returned to work on the Underwood Family Farm up until the present, most recently alongside his son Brad.

Bill married Janet Robinson in Monmouth, IL, on October 17, 1965, she survives.

Bill served as the Warren County Coroner for 23 years; he was broker/owner of Maple City Realty LP in Monmouth.


He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Monmouth. Bill was a past member of the Warren School Board of Education for 21 years, serving as President for 8 years, Past Chairman of Western Division of Illinois Association of School Boards, Past President of Warren County Prime Beef Festival in 1986, Past President of the Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce in 1998, past member of Monmouth Advisory Board of United Federal Bank, Past President of Monmouth Rotary Club and Bill was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow Award in 2009, past board member and secretary of West Central Fire Protection District, board member of Silent Home Cemetery in Cameron, and past board member of Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Monmouth. Bill was currently serving as the President of the Warren County Health Board.

As Coroner, Bill has given numerous programs in area schools and meetings, with “Fatal Vision Goggles”. He also addressed classes at local teen conferences, showing slides and using the goggles to help keep area kids from drinking and driving. Bill is a past member of the “Operation Cool Board” sponsored by the Illinois State Police to save lives of teenagers by increasing seat belt usage. He has written many safety articles for the local newspaper and given many speeches to clubs, organizations, and schools. Bill served as the Past President of the Illinois Coroners & Medical Examiners Association and was awarded the Outstanding County Official Award for the State of Illinois in 2002.

Bill is survived by his wife Janet of 50 years of Cameron, one daughter Deborah (Rod) Melton of Cameron, one son Bradley (Kim) Underwood of Monmouth, grandchildren; William, Cole, Trevor, and Brianna, one sister Joyce Barnett (Gary) of Monmouth, Father and Mother-in-law Ernest and Mary K Robinson of Monmouth, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory, Monmouth. A private family funeral with interment in Silent Home Cemetery, Cameron, will take place Wednesday. Memorials can be made to First United Methodist Church Education Fund, Silent Home Cemetery, or Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center. For more information or to leave an online condolence please visit, www.mcguireanddaviesfuneralhome.com.