George Dillard Underwood was a gentle giant, known and loved by many. His passion for helping others was evident daily, and his passing has profoundly affected the community and all who knew him. George served as chief of the Lake Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years. He was totally dedicated to serving and protecting the Lake, Mill Creek, and Garret Fork communities where he grew up. He enjoyed training, mentoring, and leading the many firefighters who served throughout the years. He especially enjoyed the fire department’s participation in projects that involved safety training or distributing gifts to the children in his area. For many years, he also served as an auxiliary deputy for the Logan County Sheriff’s Department.

George was born on December 1, 1950, at Mill Creek, in Logan County, West Virginia. He entered into eternal rest on Thursday, April 3, 2014, while serving the Lake Community. He was preceded in death by his birthmother, one brother, one sister, and his loving parents, Bill and Erma Underwood.

George grew up at Mill Creek, and with the love, encouragement, and guidance of Bill and Erma, he participated in Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, and exceled as a Little League Baseball player. George was a star baseball pitcher at Logan High School, and in 1970 he was drafted to play minor league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He also had a huge fan following as a WCW wrestler known as The Cuban Assassin, and he enjoyed fishing and hunting.

On January 21, 1978, George married Carolyn Ball Underwood, and they made their home in the Lake Community for the next 36 years. George is also survived by two daughters, two sons, two brothers, five sisters, eleven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a host of friends and relatives.

George was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. His warm smile, quick wit, helping nature, and fun-loving ways endeared him to all who knew him and earned him the respect of the citizens of the communities in which he served.

George would have been in absolute awe of the emotional outpouring at his memorial services. He was an unassuming man who expected nothing in return for his service. A social media post shortly after his death summed up George’s character: “What a good man he was…awfully big shoes to fill.”

LAST CALL – Unit 401 – LAST CALL – Rest in Peace George Underwood