Gary Lee Underwood, age 73, of Peoria, IL, formerly of Mattoon, IL., passed away at 10:55 a.m., Wednesday, November 9, 2016, at Tabor Hills Healthcare Facility in Naperville, IL. The funeral service in his honor will begin at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at First United Methodist Church in Mattoon, IL. Mitchell-Jerdan Funeral Home, 1200 Wabash Avenue, Mattoon, IL 61938 is assisting the family. Reverend Michael Smith will officiate. Burial will follow in Dodge Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Born September 16, 1943, in St. Louis, MO, Gary was the son of Robert and Jessie (Dean) Underwood. Survivors include one daughter; Heather Heppner and her husband Paul of Naperville, IL, one son; Brandon Underwood of Urbana, IL, two grandsons; Luke and Matthew Heppner of Naperville, IL, one brother; Tom Underwood and his wife Julie of Liberty, MO, one nephew; Sam Harris and wife Casie of Kansas City, MO, dear friend and mother of his children; Bina Connelly and husband Paul of New Holland, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents. Before his retirement in 2007, Gary worked for 35 years at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, IL. Gary was an active member of the Chillicothe Optimist Club and was a longtime volunteer and fundraiser for United Way of Central Illinois, earning the organization's top volunteer honor, the Hoot Gibson Award, in 1996. Gary spent his young life as a member of First United Methodist Church in Mattoon, IL. and graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL following his undergraduate studies at Eastern Illinois University. Second only to his love of family, was Gary's love of baseball and his home team - the St. Louis Cardinals. A quiet man with a strong faith who loved his children and grandchildren dearly, Gary will be fondly remembered. Memorials in his honor may be made to Cardinals Care, 700 Clark Street, St. Louis, MO, 63102.