Former King Township councillor Jane Underhill dies
One of her biggest accomplishments was saving blue heron rookery
Yorkregion.com
Feb. 20, 2020
Laura Broadley
Former King Township councillor Jane Underhill died Feb. 8 at the age of 83 surrounded by loved ones at Southlake hospital.
Underhill was a councillor for two terms and missed out on the mayor’s seat by 19 votes in the early 2000s.
She was a champion for environmental causes across the township and She an advocate for the protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine and Ontario Greenbelt. She was an active member of the group Concerned Citizens of King Township and several others.
Underhill was also a dedicated family woman.
“She was a very nice wife, a good wife. She was a good mother and she was really proud of her children,” said James Wemyss, Underhill’s husband of 26 years.
Underhill first moved to King Township in the late 1950s, and she started her advocacy work almost right away.
“When she wanted to push her baby carriage uptown, there were no sidewalks. So, she went to see about getting some sidewalks,” Wemyss said. “Then she wanted to get a kindergarten so, she fought to get a kindergarten here.”
Underhill’s motivation wasn’t selfish, it was for the betterment of her King neighbours as well.
“She just felt that she wanted to improve the life of people in King Township,” Wemyss said.
One of Underhill’s biggest accomplishments in King Township was the saving of the blue heron rookery.
“The developer wanted to build over there and she fought against it,” Wemyss said. “She went to battle for that and, of course, she did win that battle.”
Underhill is survived by her husband James Wemyss, brother Jim (Laurene), children Kelly (Paul), Kathryn (Patrick) and Mark and stepchildren Steve (Ainslie), Judy (Chuck) and Karen (Nik), as well as several grandchildren.
A public celebration of life will take place later this year, following a private family burial.
Donations will be accepted to the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust online at oakridgesmoraine.org/give.
