In Memoriam: Richard F. Underwood

Last June, we said goodbye to Richard F. Underwood. Dick, the son of SFS's first teacher, dedicated his life to our school. Richard's visionary leadership and unwavering commitment shaped Seoul Foreign School into what it is today. Dick's unwavering commitment to Seoul Foreign School, his passion for education, and his genuine care for each student and staff member touched the lives of countless individuals. His family, former staff, and alumni all remembered the many ways that Richard touched their lives and the impact he had on everyone he interacted with. As his children said so beautifully, he is out of sight, but not gone, and his memory certainly lives on all around the school that he so deeply loved.

Dear Seoul Foreign School Community,

Thank you for dedicating this United in Prayer service to the memory of our father, Richard Underwood. While saddened by his death, we are comforted, as he said, that he is not gone, just out of sight. A sound, a smell, or something we see or feel, reminds us of him and makes him alive in our memories and hearts.

Seoul Foreign School is one of those sights, sounds and feelings that will always remind us of him and his efforts to live a life of faith, demonstrating by his actions the love of God for all of us.

Whether it was advising or comforting a student, encouraging faculty, managing trouble, or planning the future, his focus was on the well being of the school and all who make it special.

In particular, we remember Dad’s love and affection for the classified staff, taking care to introduce us to each new hire and emphasizing the skills and value each brought to the school. Whether it was the first carpenter or electrician, the secretaries and clerks, the bus drivers and guards, all of them made the education we received possible.

He went out of his way to get to know each of the staff, often spending evenings or lunches sharing galbi-tang at a local eatery. Yet he had time for each of us as his children, balancing the demands of the school with the family.

Each of us, after graduating from SFS, went on to college. His letters to us were filled with his current projects at the school, his challenges of working with a troubled student, or navigating the frustrating education bureaucracy. We were all fortunate to come back to Korea in the years since we graduated, and can still feel and see his legacy in the school.

In the early 1960s, when SFS was still small, Dad and SFS started a journey together. He managed the early growth of the school throughout our childhood. Our childhood and the school are all mixed together and the continued success of the school, students, faculty, staff and community is part of the legacy Dad left for each of us.

Sincerely,

Fred Underwood, class of 1972

Marilyn Burney, class of 1974

David Underwood, class of 1977

Beth Underwood, class of 1979