Margaret Ann Underwood, beloved wife, mother, Granny, and the soul of hospitality, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Dallas, Texas, on July 30, 2016, at the age of 86. Many people loved her for her intelligence, excellent sense of humor, social grace, and her ability to let you know just where she stood on a variety of issues. Margaret Ann was born on December 14, 1929 in Eastland, Texas and grew up in Austin. She graduated from Austin High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. She then moved to Houston, Texas, where she worked in personnel at Tennessee Gas. On June 10, 1961, she married the love of her life, James Ross Underwood, Jr., and devoted her life to supporting his career as an academic geologist and to raising their three daughters. In their 51 years of marriage, Jim's work took them to Baghdad, Iraq; Gainesville, Florida; Tripoli, Libya; Canyon, Texas; and to Manhattan, Kansas. Margaret Ann embraced each move enthusiastically and made lifelong friends everywhere they lived. She thoroughly enjoyed cooking and entertaining and had a gift for making everyone feel comfortable in her home: countless friends, generations of graduate students, many faculty colleagues, and especially children and teenagers. She was active in the Presbyterian Church throughout her life. She ran the church nursery, organized funeral lunches, and served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Canyon, Texas, and Manhattan, Kansas, where she also led a support group for military wives. In 1998, Jim and Margaret Ann retired to Austin, Texas, where they enjoyed reconnecting with lifelong friends and made many new ones. They were active in the LAMP program (Learning Activities for Mature Persons), and members of Covenant Presbyterian Church. In 2011, they relocated to Plano, Texas to be closer to family. After Jim's death in 2012, Margaret Ann continued to delight in her family and friends, especially her eight grandchildren, ages 3 -20. Even as her physical health became frail, her mind remained sharp and her sense of humor intact. Margaret Ann was a lifelong Democrat, and she enjoyed spirited political discussions throughout her life. Margaret Ann Underwood is survived by her three daughters and their families: Marion Underwood and Andrew Liles and Louisa and Sophie of Plano, Andy and Steve McDowell and Emory, Marigrace, and Eliza, also of Plano; and Beth and Bobby Patterson and Joe, Claudia, and Clara, of Minnetonka, Minnesota. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on August 8th, 2016 at Fountain View of Highland Springs, 8000 Frankford Road, Dallas, TX, 75252. In lieu of flowers, the family recommends that donations be made to the Jim and Margaret Ann Underwood Petroleum Geology Lecture Series at Kansas State University (Dept. of Geology, KSU, 108 Thompson Hall, Manhattan KS 66506-3201, JR Underwood on memo line), Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity (http://mahfh.org/donate/), or any charity of your choice. Arrangements are under the direction of ARIA Cremation Service and Funeral Home 19310 Preston Road Dallas, Texas 75252 214-306-6700