Merle Benson Underwood October 07, 2014 Merle Benson Underwood, 89, of Bremen died Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at Countryside Nursing Home in Buchanan. A graveside funeral service will be held for Mrs. Underwood at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2014, at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Tifton, GA where Mrs. Underwood will be laid to rest. Rev. Jason Hatchett will officiate. The family will receive friends on Friday, October 10, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals in Tifton, GA. Mrs. Underwood's nephews, Bobby Benson, Herbert Benson, Darrell Benson, Wayne Benson, Jimmy Benson and Steve Arrington will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be her nephews, Ricky Benson, Joe Benson, Greg Benson, Tommy Benson, Dennis Arrington and Gary Benson. Mrs. Underwood was born on December 21, 1924 in Worth County and was the daughter of Winfred Benson and Esther Sumner Benson, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Spurgeon Underwood; an infant son, Ronald S. Underwood; three brothers, Eugene Benson, Marvin Benson and Dick Benson; one sister, Louise Williams; four sisters-in-law, Sue Benson, Mary Ann Benson, Martha Benson and Jean Benson; and a brother-in-law, Walter Arrington. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bremen. Mrs. Underwood is survived by one daughter, Nancy U. Cooper of Bremen; three brothers and a sister-in-law, Edgar and Jeanette Benson, Donald Benson and Harold Benson, all of Tifton; one sister, Mary Jo Arrington of Tifton; a brother-in-law, Jimmy Williams of Dacula; three grandchildren and their spouses, Tracy Cooper-Grice and her husband Chuck of Temple, Amy Cooper-Kirkland and her husband Tony of Smith Station, Alabama and Russell Cooper and his wife Natasha of Bremen; seven great grandchildren, Brooke McDurmon, Megan McDurmon, Brianna Cooper, Brock Cooper, Jack Kirkland, Kaitlyn Kirkland and Jackson Grice; and many nieces and nephews. BOWEN-DONALDSON HOME FOR FUNERALS 420 Love Avenue Tifton, GA USA 31794 229-382-4255 Local information furnished by Hightower Funeral Home, Bremen, GA 30110 ________________________________________