Juanita May Rankin Underwood, 93, passed away Sept. 1, 2011, at La Mesa Health Care Center in Yuma AZ, where she resided for the past year-and-a-half. Underwood was born Aug. 12, 1918. She was the oldest daughter of Lawrence and Nora (Wilson) Rankin. She and her brother and sisters were raised on the family ranch originally homesteaded by her grandfather, Billy Wilson, on Butcher Creek between Luther and Roscoe, Montana. She attended Volney Creek School. The seven-mile round-trip to the one-room school house was made by horseback. In case of a winter storm, Nita's father told her to just cover her head, wrap the reins around the saddle horn, and old Bill would get her home, which he did faithfully on many occasions. Later her little sisters rode together on Bill, and she got to ride by herself on Carbide. Underwood's family eventually rented a place in Red Lodge MT during the school year and returned to the ranch on weekends. She graduated from Carbon County High School in 1937. She married John McRae in 1937. They had two sons, Lawrence "Larry" and Jon McRae, who were born in Billings MT. Underwood moved to Oregon and was employed as a welder, a "Rosie the Riveter," in the shipyards during World War II. She married Victor Underwood in 1948, and they lived in Portland and Eugene OR. She began her 24-year career at the University of Oregon in 1956 and retired in January 1980 as executive assistant to the president of the University. Underwood moved to Buffalo WY in 1981 and worked at Frankovic Realty, where she obtained her real estate license. She and Rudie Frankovic enjoyed 30 years together traveling and wintering in Yuma AZ. They especially enjoyed spending summers on the Oregon Coast, visiting Underwood's sister Marg in Florida, fishing in Alaska, spending time with Rudie's brother Andy on Cape Cod, and never missed the Memorial Day gatherings with sisters Mary and Joyce in Red Lodge. She enjoyed her charity work and her many crafts and was an excellent cook.

Underwood was preceded in death by her parents, he brother Wilbur Rankin, and sister Marg Johnson.

She is survived by Rudie Frankovic of Buffalo; sons Larry (Nila) McRae of Missoula MT and Jon McRae of Fort Collins CO; sisters Mary Riley and Joyce Bossert of Red Lodge MT; five grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Posted on the website of the Buffalo (WY) Bulletin