Joel Clayton Underwood Charlottesville, Virginia Obituary

Joel Clayton Underwood

Joel Clayton Underwood, 86, of Charlottesville, VA, died at home on December 19, 2021. He was born August 31, 1935 in Warren County, TN to the late Charles William and Phoebe Delton Flanders Underwood, At age fifteen, he began his life as a clergyman, serving as minister to the Osment Chapel Congregation on Short Mountain, Tennessee. Joel held degrees from Duke University, Vanderbilt Divinity School and Boston University. In 1953 while at Duke, he joined the North Carolina Youth Caravan to Austria and Germany to help rebuild churches that were bombed during WWII. In his last year at Duke, he served as minister of Conway United Methodist Church in Conway, SC. He met the love of his life, Helen Lavinia Greenway, Christmas 1955 in McMinnville Tennessee. They were married on June 23, 1957 at Olivet Methodist Church in Pulaski, TN. In 1959, he served as chaplain for the Wesley Foundation at Middle Tennessee State University, and as the founding pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, TN. In 1963, while at Boston University, he served as associate pastor and choir director of Wilmington Methodist Church in Wilmington, MA. In 1964, he served as pastor of Hannah Tinney United Methodist Church in New Hampshire. In 1965 Joel and Helen were commissioned as missionaries to Kolkata, India, where he worked with a consortium of religious leaders on the problems of hunger and poverty. In Kolkata, he played King Caspar in the Kolkata Oratorio Society’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors to raise money for the Leprosy Mission. After returning to the US in 1969, Joel worked for the Methodist Board of Missions in New York City. As director of International Urban Ministries, he traveled to twelve cities around the world working on development projects. In 1974 he co-founded Bread for the World, a Christian citizen’s movement to end global hunger, and served as director of organizing, fundraising and church relations. He was with Bread for the World for the next twenty years. In 1986 Joel wrote Lazarus, a musical on hunger and poverty as a sabbatical project. The musical was first performed at the Hartke Theatre at Catholic University in DC. It has been produced over 2,000 times in churches and community theatres across the nation and 15 times outside the U.S., raising over a million dollars for hunger-related causes. A Spanish edition, entitled Lazaro, was initially performed in El Salvador. Joel also served as Executive Editor of “Banquet of Praise,” a hymnal published by Bread for the World. After retiring in 2001, Joel and Helen moved to Delaware, where they sang with the Southern Delaware Oratorio Society and Joel taught religion at Wesley College in Dover. He and Helen also volunteered for Heifer International in Little Rock, Arkansas as directors of education. He spent the next ten years editing and proofreading Helen’s three novels and a memoir. He most recently resided in Charlottesville, VA, where he continued to help hungry people by volunteering in the kitchen at The Haven day homeless shelter. Joel loved playing piano and singing, taking photographs and videos, watching old movies, doing crosswords, observing nature, and spending time with his family. Known as “Papaw” to his grandkids, he was deeply loved and adored. In fact, Joel was loved by everyone. He was appreciated for his optimistic outlook on life, his empathy for others, his faith in people, his benevolent leadership, his commitment to justice, his sense of humor, and his generous spirit. In addition to his parents, Joel was preceded in death by siblings Bill Underwood, Dana Milstead and Barry Underwood. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Helen Lavinia Greenway Underwood, a writer and former English Department Head and teacher at Friends School of Baltimore; son David Underwood (Anastasia) of Tampa, FL, and grandchildren Leigh Lisbao Underwood (Katharina), Melissa Lisbao Underwood, Angelica Underwood, and great grandson Emilio Underwood; daughter Lydia Horan (Michael) of Charlottesville, VA and grandchildren Adelind and Maggie Horan; son Jason Underwood (Maureen) of New York City and grandchildren, Sara and Paige Underwood. A celebration of Joel’s life will be held in the spring (TBA). Donations in his memory may be made to The Haven, a multi-resource day shelter for the homeless, 112 West Market St, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
August 31, 1935 - December 19, 202108/31/193512/19/2021
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Joel Clayton Underwood, 86, of Charlottesville, VA, died at home on December 19, 2021. He was born August 31, 1935 in Warren County, TN to the late Charles William and Phoebe Delton Flanders Underwood, At age fifteen, he began his life as a clergyman, serving as minister to the Osment Chapel Congregation on Short Mountain, Tennessee. Joel held degrees from Duke University, Vanderbilt Divinity School and Boston University. In 1953 while at Duke, he joined the North Carolina Youth Caravan to Austria and Germany to help rebuild churches that were bombed during WWII. In his last year at Duke, he served as minister of Conway United Methodist Church in Conway, SC. He met the love of his life, Helen Lavinia Greenway, Christmas 1955 in McMinnville Tennessee. They were married on June 23, 1957 at Olivet Methodist Church in Pulaski, TN. In 1959, he served as chaplain for the Wesley Foundation at Middle Tennessee State University, and as the founding pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, TN. In 1963, while at Boston University, he served as associate pastor and choir director of Wilmington Methodist Church in Wilmington, MA. In 1964, he served as pastor of Hannah Tinney United Methodist Church in New Hampshire. In 1965 Joel and Helen were commissioned as missionaries to Kolkata, India, where he worked with a consortium of religious leaders on the problems of hunger and poverty. In Kolkata, he played King Caspar in the Kolkata Oratorio Society’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors to raise money for the Leprosy Mission. After returning to the US in 1969, Joel worked for the Methodist Board of Missions in New York City. As director of International Urban Ministries, he traveled to twelve cities around the world working on development projects. In 1974 he co-founded Bread for the World, a Christian citizen’s movement to end global hunger, and served as director of organizing, fundraising and church relations. He was with Bread for the World for the next twenty years. In 1986 Joel wrote Lazarus, a musical on hunger and poverty as a sabbatical project. The musical was first performed at the Hartke Theatre at Catholic University in DC. It has been produced over 2,000 times in churches and community theatres across the nation and 15 times outside the U.S., raising over a million dollars for hunger-related causes. A Spanish edition, entitled Lazaro, was initially performed in El Salvador. Joel also served as Executive Editor of “Banquet of Praise,” a hymnal published by Bread for the World. After retiring in 2001, Joel and Helen moved to Delaware, where they sang with the Southern Delaware Oratorio Society and Joel taught religion at Wesley College in Dover. He and Helen also volunteered for Heifer International in Little Rock, Arkansas as directors of education. He spent the next ten years editing and proofreading Helen’s three novels and a memoir. He most recently resided in Charlottesville, VA, where he continued to help hungry people by volunteering in the kitchen at The Haven day homeless shelter. Joel loved playing piano and singing, taking photographs and videos, watching old movies, doing crosswords, observing nature, and spending time with his family. Known as “Papaw” to his grandkids, he was deeply loved and adored. In fact, Joel was loved by everyone. He was appreciated for his optimistic outlook on life, his empathy for others, his faith in people, his benevolent leadership, his commitment to justice, his sense of humor, and his generous spirit. In addition to his parents, Joel was preceded in death by siblings Bill Underwood, Dana Milstead and Barry Underwood. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Helen Lavinia Greenway Underwood, a writer and former English Department Head and teacher at Friends School of Baltimore; son David Underwood (Anastasia) of Tampa, FL, and grandchildren Leigh Lisbao Underwood (Katharina), Melissa Lisbao Underwood, Angelica Underwood, and great grandson Emilio Underwood; daughter Lydia Horan (Michael) of Charlottesville, VA and grandchildren Adelind and Maggie Horan; son Jason Underwood (Maureen) of New York City and grandchildren, Sara and Paige Underwood. A celebration of Joel’s life will be held in the spring (TBA). Donations in his memory may be made to The Haven, a multi-resource day shelter for the homeless, 112 West Market St, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

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