Harriet Reno Underwood

Memorial service for Harriett Reno Underwood will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Family Life Church with Pastor Marty Crump officiating. Harriet Reno Underwood, age 88, of rural Southern Campbell County died on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by family.  Harriet Underwood was born December 4, 1933, in Sheridan, WY to Floyd Crawford and Harriet Putnam Reno.  She was the second of four children.  She attended Bates Creek School on the ranch until 4th grade when they moved to Sheridan, WY to continue their schooling.  After her sophomore year, Harriet went to San Lewis Ranch School for Girls in Colorado Springs, CO her junior and senior years.  Harriet then attended University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, KS for two years.

On August 15, 1955, she and Harry Underwood eloped to Laramie, WY.  To this union two children were born, Roy Floyd and Kelley Clare.  The couple lived in San Francisco, CA, where Harry was stationed in the US Marine Corps.  Upon his discharge in 1956, the couple returned to Gillette where Harry worked in his family's business, Underwood Lumber Company.  In 1960 they moved their family south of Gillette to one of Harriet's father's ranches, The McClure Place, to work for him.  In 1963 they bought Harriet's grandfather, BJ Reno's original homestead from their cousins, Burt and Dorothy Reno, south of the present-day town of Wright, WY.  Together they raised their family as well as Targhee sheep and Hereford cattle.

Harriet was active helping her children's 4-H projects, the PTA for the Highway School, and following them to their rodeos they competed in.  She was active in the Thunder Basin Belles homemakers club from 1957 until present.  She was active in Wyoming Woolgrowers and Campbell County Cowbelles.  Several are old time neighbors got together and established the Wright Centennial Museum around 1995.  Harriet was a student of history and worked tirelessly to preserve her family's and southern Campbell County history.  She compiled information from area ranchers, put their stories together and published a book called From Belle Fourche to Antelope.  Harriet was instrumental in getting the Silver Sage Senior Center established in Wright, WY.  She served on the board of directors for several years.  Bird watching was a fulltime endeavor for her.  Years and years of calendars are full of recordings of birds she saw and where she saw them, the weather of the day out her window, and the general goings on of the ranch for the day.  Boxes and boxes are stored in the basement.  

Harriet had a love of travel.  Always wanting to explore somewhere different.  She and Harry took their motorhome all over the Southwest and Mexico.  Many trips were with Jack and Mary Ruth McClelland, Dorothy Reno, and Clarence and Carol Persson.  Later on, Harry wasn't as adventurous, so Harriet took several trips with Bernice Groves always finding someplace new to check out.  One major highlight was the trip hiking down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and then floating down the Colorado River with several ladies from the community.

Harriet is survived by her son, Roy (Kelley) Underwood of southern Campbell County; daughter, Kelley (Bill) Sims of southern Campbell County; grandchildren, Heather Maddock (Jake) of Belgrade, MT; Scott Sims (Trinity) of northern Campbell County; Shane (Shyla) Sims of Rock Springs, WY; Whitman Sims of southern Campbell County; Jake (Bailey) Underwood of Buffalo, WY;  one great-granddaughter Abigail Maddock of Belgrade, MT with another great granddaughter expected in June; one great-grandson Cash Maddock of Belgrade, MT;  one brother Mathew (Audrey) Reno of Gillette, WY;  several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and numerous cousins. Harriet was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Underwood; parents, Floyd C Reno Sr, and Harriet Reno; two brothers, Floyd C Reno Jr, and Harry Reno. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5^th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com