“He was always an entrepreneur,” she said, adding that’s how he paid his way at Miami University, where he studied electrical engineering but left short of graduation after he was drafted into the Navy during the Korean Conflict.
Underwood was born on July 18, 1929, in Cincinnati and married his wife, Peggy, on May 3, 1958.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he opened Underwood Motor Sales, selling used cars on Ohio 4. But it was curiosity that led him to open on the city’s east side Richards Pizza on Ohio 4 in October 1955, said Kramer. He was always curious, and always asking questions.
The kernel of the idea for Richards Pizza popped into Underwood’s head in Miami, Fla. when he first tried pizza in the late 1940s. Then he frequented a pizza restaurant in Cincinnati. Kramer said her dad befriended those selling produce to the restaurants, and learned the mechanics of making pizza.
“He was always interested,” she said. “It’s something new, let’s find out about it, let’s analyze this. I want to know more about this pizza. How do you make this stuff?”
Then he experimented until he was ready to open his restaurant on Dixie Highway (which closed in the late 1980s) on Oct. 24, 1955. The people of Hamilton wanted a west side location, so he opened his leased the building at the corner of Main and D streets, which is where the 513 Bar is today. That eventually closed when he built the restaurant at 417 Main St. in the 1969.
Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller called Underwood “a restaurant and food icon” and will be missed.
“I remember the Main and D streets location and I worked at the current Main Street location when I was in college,” the mayor said. “His Richards steak sandwich puts Hamilton on the ‘destination location’ map for great local, original food. When former Hamilton residents come back to visit Hamilton, many I know must get a Richards steak sandwich and pizza while they are in town.”
It was in July 1956 at the Main and D streets location the Richards steak sandwich was invented, Kramer said, and they still use the same recipe invented by Underwood.
In addition to opening an iconic Hamilton establishment, Underwood was also named Restauranteur of the Year in 1976 by the Ohio Restaurant Association.
Underwood served many boards and volunteered for several organizations in Hamilton, including the Jaycees, the Optimist Club, the Couples Club and Hamilton Rotary Club, However, his primary passion developing many businesses and real estate ventures throughout his life, as well as mentoring young entrepreneurs and volunteering with the Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE.
Underwood is survived by his wife, daughters Kramer (Dave) and Gayl Underwood (Rick Stempfley), grandson Alexander Richard Hoelle, and sister Faye Underwood Hardert, all of Hamilton. He also leaves behind a niece Linda Hardert McGuire, special nephew Michael Hardert (Trudy) and nephew Scott Hardert and their children and grandchildren.
Kramer said a Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at noon on April 27 at Richards Pizza, 417 Main St., with a memorial service at 3 p.m., “celebrating my dad in the building he built and in the restaurant he founded.” The restaurant will be closed that day until 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Springdale Nazarene Church, 11177 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 to support its mission projects.
Credit: Greg Lynch
Credit: Greg Lynch
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