Tracy Scandale Underhill

Please join us at https://livestream.com/accounts/29266864/tracyunderhill at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 11, 2020 for a private service in remembrance of Tracy Underhill.
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Tracy Scandale Underhill died peacefully while under hospice care in Durham, North Carolina on April 7, 2020, following a decade-long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 78 years old.

Born in Orlando, Florida, she was the sixth of eight children. She is predeceased by her mother Gertrude (McMillen) de Mello, her father John Harrison de Mello, sister Carol Ann and brothers John Jr., Franklin, James, David and son Nathaniel Scandale. She is survived by herloving husband, Charles I. Underhill, and her children, Lisa Scandale (David) Lewis, Julie White, Matthew (Carol) Scandale and Bartholomew Scandale, step-children Daniel (Teresa) Underhill and Megan (Aaron) Vrooman and numerous nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Roberta Lynn Hall and Eva Sarah (Richard) Berg.

Tracy attended Ohio State University and received her Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1970 and her Master of Science degree from the same institution in 1981.

Tracy’s work life was one of service to others. She worked as a counselor for the Housing Assistance Center of Buffalo and Catholic Charities of Buffalo’s Division of Housing. Following her graduation from the Masters’ program at SUNY/Buffalo, Tracy worked as a substance abuse counselor for Erie County Medical Center, Horizon Human Services and Health Care Plan in Buffalo. She finished her lifetime of service as a senior counselor for Substance Abuse Services for the City of Alexandria, Virginia.

Tracy’s interest in – and curiosity about – the lives of others not only made her an empathetic counselor butalso led her to love the many chances she had to travel to other places and meet other people from different countries and cultures.

As much as she loved her travels, she loved her family more. Tracy was a fierce advocate for women, and she set an example of self-reliance and personal and professional courage that helped shaped the lives of her children and grand-children. Nothing made her happier than to be surrounded by family during birthdays and holidays.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in her name be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

A virtual memorial service will be held through the facilities of Hall-Wynne Funeral Home in Durham, with a Catholic mass in North Carolina and an interment service in New York to be held as soon as friends and family can safely gather together.