Richard "Dick" Allan Underwood

Richard “Dick” Underwood, age 92, passed away on January 3, 2026 at the Clemson Downs Medical Care facility in South Carolina.

He was born and raised in Plymouth, Michigan. Richard’s parents were the late Harold and Yvonne Underwood. Dick graduated from Plymouth High School and received his bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

He served his country as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Counterintelligence (CIC) in Frankfurt, Germany and in the U.S. While in Germany, Dick was also a race car driver on the Nurburgring.

Richard left his career at General Motors Corporation in Detroit, Michigan to live in and travel through Europe for a year with his wife, Sandra.

After having his novel, A Little Bit of Love published by Holt Rinehart and Winston in New York City (and reviewed in Life Magazine and Publishers Weekly), he was awarded a Breadloaf Fellowship for his writing at a workshop for writers created by Robert Frost at Middlebury College in Vermont.

In 2010, My Years at General Motors and Other Stories, a Memoir was published and his website http://www.raunderwood.com was created.

Richard retired as an emeritus professor of English and Literature at Clemson University where he taught for more than 28 years. He was a internationally noted scholar and the author of several books on Shakespeare.

Richard was also a professional jazz musician (on piano) and performed with his band over many years and at many venues.

Richard is survived by his loving family, David and Janice Young of Athens, Michigan and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild; Benjamin and his wife Jennifer and daughters, Genevieve, Violet and Harper; Brian and wife Christi and sons Greyson and Gunner; Lindsey and husband Josh Smith and children, Kennedy, (husband Davontae) and son Atlas Kanjira, Keegan Eric, Paisley and Haven. Richard was also blessed with many wonderful friends over the years.

He is predeceased by his parents, Harold and Yvonne, his beloved wife, Sandra of 61 years, his beloved son, Eric Michael Underwood as well as his beloved Samoyed dog (that he rescued), “Sasha”.

A private graveside service will be held in Michigan where Richard, Sandra and Eric will be buried together at Rose Center Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to University of Michigan Library in his name.

Condolences may be expressed at Duckett/Robinson Funeral Home in Central South Carolina where the family is being helped.