Born in Seoul to British parents, Joan was sent to London in grade nine to complete secondary school. She attended King's College, London University, for secretarial training, and in 1939, returned to Korea. There, she worked as a secretary for the British Consul General.
On July 10, 1941, she married Horace G. Underwood. When he was arrested and interned after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she was placed under house arrest with her mother-in-law and the rest of the Underwood family. In May 1942, when her husband was released, she was repatriated to the U.S. In 1943, her first son, Horace H. Underwood, was born in Colorado.
The family returned to Korea in 1946 where Joan taught at Chosun Christian University. She assisted in relief work, and after her mother-in law's murder, she took over the management of the clothing and milk stations her Ethel Underwood had organized. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, she was again forced to leave the country quickly. She lived in Japan with her son while her husband served in the U.S. Navy, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Her second son, William David, was born in Yokohama in 1953. After the war ended, she left Japan for the U.S. where she earned a B.A. degree from New York University and where her third son, Peter Alexander, was born, both in 1955. In 1955, she returned to Korea where she assisted with relief work and taught at Yonsei University and Seoul Foreign School. She died in 1976 from complications from an ulcer.
On July 10, 1941, she married Horace G. Underwood. When he was arrested and interned after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she was placed under house arrest with her mother-in-law and the rest of the Underwood family. In May 1942, when her husband was released, she was repatriated to the U.S. In 1943, her first son, Horace H. Underwood, was born in Colorado.
The family returned to Korea in 1946 where Joan taught at Chosun Christian University. She assisted in relief work, and after her mother-in law's murder, she took over the management of the clothing and milk stations her Ethel Underwood had organized. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, she was again forced to leave the country quickly. She lived in Japan with her son while her husband served in the U.S. Navy, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Her second son, William David, was born in Yokohama in 1953. After the war ended, she left Japan for the U.S. where she earned a B.A. degree from New York University and where her third son, Peter Alexander, was born, both in 1955. In 1955, she returned to Korea where she assisted with relief work and taught at Yonsei University and Seoul Foreign School. She died in 1976 from complications from an ulcer.
Born in Seoul to British parents, Joan was sent to London in grade nine to complete secondary school. She attended King's College, London University, for secretarial training, and in 1939, returned to Korea. There, she worked as a secretary for the British Consul General.
On July 10, 1941, she married Horace G. Underwood. When he was arrested and interned after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she was placed under house arrest with her mother-in-law and the rest of the Underwood family. In May 1942, when her husband was released, she was repatriated to the U.S. In 1943, her first son, Horace H. Underwood, was born in Colorado.
The family returned to Korea in 1946 where Joan taught at Chosun Christian University. She assisted in relief work, and after her mother-in law's murder, she took over the management of the clothing and milk stations her Ethel Underwood had organized. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, she was again forced to leave the country quickly. She lived in Japan with her son while her husband served in the U.S. Navy, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Her second son, William David, was born in Yokohama in 1953. After the war ended, she left Japan for the U.S. where she earned a B.A. degree from New York University and where her third son, Peter Alexander, was born, both in 1955. In 1955, she returned to Korea where she assisted with relief work and taught at Yonsei University and Seoul Foreign School. She died in 1976 from complications from an ulcer.
On July 10, 1941, she married Horace G. Underwood. When he was arrested and interned after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she was placed under house arrest with her mother-in-law and the rest of the Underwood family. In May 1942, when her husband was released, she was repatriated to the U.S. In 1943, her first son, Horace H. Underwood, was born in Colorado.
The family returned to Korea in 1946 where Joan taught at Chosun Christian University. She assisted in relief work, and after her mother-in law's murder, she took over the management of the clothing and milk stations her Ethel Underwood had organized. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, she was again forced to leave the country quickly. She lived in Japan with her son while her husband served in the U.S. Navy, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Her second son, William David, was born in Yokohama in 1953. After the war ended, she left Japan for the U.S. where she earned a B.A. degree from New York University and where her third son, Peter Alexander, was born, both in 1955. In 1955, she returned to Korea where she assisted with relief work and taught at Yonsei University and Seoul Foreign School. She died in 1976 from complications from an ulcer.
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