Thomas Rust "Tom" Underwood, Jr. was the son of Eliza MacLean Piggott and U.S. Senator Thomas Rust Underwood, Sr.
Tom enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of seventeen and served in the Pacific on USS Etlah. He was a graduate of University High School and the University of Kentucky Law School. He served ten years on the city commission and acted as mayor pro tem 1970-1971. Mr. Underwood and his city commission running mates Ray Boggs and Paul Fowler were known as the Three Man Majority. (The commission had five members).
In 1971, Mr. Underwood proposed that Lexington rather than University of Kentucky build a 25,000 seat sports facility which in five years became Rupp Arena. He designated the location where it should be built on city property. He had discussed the plan with Coach Adolph Rupp, who favored it. His proposal that the city rather than the University build the major basketball facility had not been done before by a city at that time. In 1976, the arena was combined with convention facilities, successfully financed, built, owned, and operated by LFUCG. His administration was responsible for removing the sewer tax as well as construction of Jacobson Park, Tates Creek Golf Course, and included involvement with LFUCG merger. He was a proponent of continued integration and unlimited access for the benefit of all people, and was proud to be part of Kentucky's first city human rights commission with a paid director in 1964. Underwood, an attorney, organized and arranged financing for over sixty rural water systems and other projects throughout Kentucky and Ohio. Underwood's projects brought for the first time treated water to Keeneland, Blue Grass Airport, Calumet Farm, and Spindletop, among others. Underwood worked in the State headquarters in the campaign of Governor Earle Clements, was an usher at the 1948 convention which nominated Harry S. Truman and was a Fayette County chairman for John F. Kennedy. Underwood coached church league and city league in basketball 1947-1975. He played on the University High champion basketball team in 1944.
Underwood's friends included old basketball and softball players, old and new card players, former political opponents, of which there were many, and friends of his children and grandchildren.
He was a longtime member of the Lexington Country Club and Keeneland Club; he also enjoyed golf, bridge, and any U.K. Wildcat game.
Tom married Eva Jane Burkhead on August 27, 1955 in Elkton, Maryland. To this union two children were born, Thomas Rust "Trip" Underwood III (1956) and Lisa Elaine Underwood Young (1960). Grandchildren Thomas Rust "Rusty" Underwood IV and Kassi Underwood Murphy. Great-grandson Wallace Rust Murphy.
His godfather was Desha Breckinridge, a founder and publisher of the Lexington Herald.
Mr. Underwood was a communicant of Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal, Lexington, Kentucky.
Tom enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of seventeen and served in the Pacific on USS Etlah. He was a graduate of University High School and the University of Kentucky Law School. He served ten years on the city commission and acted as mayor pro tem 1970-1971. Mr. Underwood and his city commission running mates Ray Boggs and Paul Fowler were known as the Three Man Majority. (The commission had five members).
In 1971, Mr. Underwood proposed that Lexington rather than University of Kentucky build a 25,000 seat sports facility which in five years became Rupp Arena. He designated the location where it should be built on city property. He had discussed the plan with Coach Adolph Rupp, who favored it. His proposal that the city rather than the University build the major basketball facility had not been done before by a city at that time. In 1976, the arena was combined with convention facilities, successfully financed, built, owned, and operated by LFUCG. His administration was responsible for removing the sewer tax as well as construction of Jacobson Park, Tates Creek Golf Course, and included involvement with LFUCG merger. He was a proponent of continued integration and unlimited access for the benefit of all people, and was proud to be part of Kentucky's first city human rights commission with a paid director in 1964. Underwood, an attorney, organized and arranged financing for over sixty rural water systems and other projects throughout Kentucky and Ohio. Underwood's projects brought for the first time treated water to Keeneland, Blue Grass Airport, Calumet Farm, and Spindletop, among others. Underwood worked in the State headquarters in the campaign of Governor Earle Clements, was an usher at the 1948 convention which nominated Harry S. Truman and was a Fayette County chairman for John F. Kennedy. Underwood coached church league and city league in basketball 1947-1975. He played on the University High champion basketball team in 1944.
Underwood's friends included old basketball and softball players, old and new card players, former political opponents, of which there were many, and friends of his children and grandchildren.
He was a longtime member of the Lexington Country Club and Keeneland Club; he also enjoyed golf, bridge, and any U.K. Wildcat game.
Tom married Eva Jane Burkhead on August 27, 1955 in Elkton, Maryland. To this union two children were born, Thomas Rust "Trip" Underwood III (1956) and Lisa Elaine Underwood Young (1960). Grandchildren Thomas Rust "Rusty" Underwood IV and Kassi Underwood Murphy. Great-grandson Wallace Rust Murphy.
His godfather was Desha Breckinridge, a founder and publisher of the Lexington Herald.
Mr. Underwood was a communicant of Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal, Lexington, Kentucky.
Thomas Rust "Tom" Underwood, Jr. was the son of Eliza MacLean Piggott and U.S. Senator Thomas Rust Underwood, Sr.
Tom enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of seventeen and served in the Pacific on USS Etlah. He was a graduate of University High School and the University of Kentucky Law School. He served ten years on the city commission and acted as mayor pro tem 1970-1971. Mr. Underwood and his city commission running mates Ray Boggs and Paul Fowler were known as the Three Man Majority. (The commission had five members).
In 1971, Mr. Underwood proposed that Lexington rather than University of Kentucky build a 25,000 seat sports facility which in five years became Rupp Arena. He designated the location where it should be built on city property. He had discussed the plan with Coach Adolph Rupp, who favored it. His proposal that the city rather than the University build the major basketball facility had not been done before by a city at that time. In 1976, the arena was combined with convention facilities, successfully financed, built, owned, and operated by LFUCG. His administration was responsible for removing the sewer tax as well as construction of Jacobson Park, Tates Creek Golf Course, and included involvement with LFUCG merger. He was a proponent of continued integration and unlimited access for the benefit of all people, and was proud to be part of Kentucky's first city human rights commission with a paid director in 1964. Underwood, an attorney, organized and arranged financing for over sixty rural water systems and other projects throughout Kentucky and Ohio. Underwood's projects brought for the first time treated water to Keeneland, Blue Grass Airport, Calumet Farm, and Spindletop, among others. Underwood worked in the State headquarters in the campaign of Governor Earle Clements, was an usher at the 1948 convention which nominated Harry S. Truman and was a Fayette County chairman for John F. Kennedy. Underwood coached church league and city league in basketball 1947-1975. He played on the University High champion basketball team in 1944.
Underwood's friends included old basketball and softball players, old and new card players, former political opponents, of which there were many, and friends of his children and grandchildren.
He was a longtime member of the Lexington Country Club and Keeneland Club; he also enjoyed golf, bridge, and any U.K. Wildcat game.
Tom married Eva Jane Burkhead on August 27, 1955 in Elkton, Maryland. To this union two children were born, Thomas Rust "Trip" Underwood III (1956) and Lisa Elaine Underwood Young (1960). Grandchildren Thomas Rust "Rusty" Underwood IV and Kassi Underwood Murphy. Great-grandson Wallace Rust Murphy.
His godfather was Desha Breckinridge, a founder and publisher of the Lexington Herald.
Mr. Underwood was a communicant of Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal, Lexington, Kentucky.
Tom enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of seventeen and served in the Pacific on USS Etlah. He was a graduate of University High School and the University of Kentucky Law School. He served ten years on the city commission and acted as mayor pro tem 1970-1971. Mr. Underwood and his city commission running mates Ray Boggs and Paul Fowler were known as the Three Man Majority. (The commission had five members).
In 1971, Mr. Underwood proposed that Lexington rather than University of Kentucky build a 25,000 seat sports facility which in five years became Rupp Arena. He designated the location where it should be built on city property. He had discussed the plan with Coach Adolph Rupp, who favored it. His proposal that the city rather than the University build the major basketball facility had not been done before by a city at that time. In 1976, the arena was combined with convention facilities, successfully financed, built, owned, and operated by LFUCG. His administration was responsible for removing the sewer tax as well as construction of Jacobson Park, Tates Creek Golf Course, and included involvement with LFUCG merger. He was a proponent of continued integration and unlimited access for the benefit of all people, and was proud to be part of Kentucky's first city human rights commission with a paid director in 1964. Underwood, an attorney, organized and arranged financing for over sixty rural water systems and other projects throughout Kentucky and Ohio. Underwood's projects brought for the first time treated water to Keeneland, Blue Grass Airport, Calumet Farm, and Spindletop, among others. Underwood worked in the State headquarters in the campaign of Governor Earle Clements, was an usher at the 1948 convention which nominated Harry S. Truman and was a Fayette County chairman for John F. Kennedy. Underwood coached church league and city league in basketball 1947-1975. He played on the University High champion basketball team in 1944.
Underwood's friends included old basketball and softball players, old and new card players, former political opponents, of which there were many, and friends of his children and grandchildren.
He was a longtime member of the Lexington Country Club and Keeneland Club; he also enjoyed golf, bridge, and any U.K. Wildcat game.
Tom married Eva Jane Burkhead on August 27, 1955 in Elkton, Maryland. To this union two children were born, Thomas Rust "Trip" Underwood III (1956) and Lisa Elaine Underwood Young (1960). Grandchildren Thomas Rust "Rusty" Underwood IV and Kassi Underwood Murphy. Great-grandson Wallace Rust Murphy.
His godfather was Desha Breckinridge, a founder and publisher of the Lexington Herald.
Mr. Underwood was a communicant of Christ Church Cathedral Episcopal, Lexington, Kentucky.
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