Evelyn Underwood-Miles, who owned the Westview newspaper before it was sold and rebranded as the Nashville Ledger, has died at age 94

Mary Evelyn O’Guin was born May 28, 1927, in Erin. She grew up in Wavery and played basketball for Waverly Central High School and then studied art at Watkins School of Art.

In 1948, she married Doug Underwood, who was working at the Nashville Banner. Their daughter Sydney (Bennett Rogers Cowan) was born in 1951, and the three moved to Columbia, where Underwood was the sports editor of the Daily Herald. While in Columbia, Evelyn started a blueprint business in the basement of their home. There, she gave birth to Paula (Underwood Winters), who later served as editor of the Westview.

The family moved back to Nashville in 1958, where Evelyn managed two rental apartments in the house they bought.

Evelyn was a stay-at-home mom for a few years while her daughters were in school. They moved to Bellevue in 1963, and Underwood-Miles went to work as art director for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The TWRA still uses the logo she designed.

In 1967, she started Camp Buffalo girl’s day camp on the family farm on Buffalo Road. Daughters of Sen. Douglas Henry, George Barrett and Jim Neal, as well as many other girls ages 7-13, attended Camp Buffalo.

The Underwoods entered the newspaper publishing business in 1978 when they started the Westview in Bellevue. After Doug’s passing in 1995, Evelyn took over the business end of the newspaper with their daughter Paula.

She sold the newspaper in 2010 and retired with her husband, Roy Miles Jr., whom she married in 2004.

Evelyn was also a top salesperson for AFLAC for many years, traveling all over the world as her reward for her outstanding sales work.

She was a member of the Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association, Bellevue Exchange Club, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Art League.

Underwood-Miles died Saturday at her home, Mt. Airy, in Bellevue. Her parents, Verna and Paul O’Guin preceded her, as well as her brothers and sister and grandson Ryan Winters. She is survived by her husband Roy Miles, Jr, her daughters, Sydney (Donald) Cowan, Paula (Donnie) Winters; grandchildren Alyson Bennett, Philip (Mandy) Bennett, Derek (DeRivanique, Niylah and Jade) Winters; great grandchildren Savannah and Juliette Arnold, Hayden Farr, Abby, Gunnar and Liam Bennett, and many loving nieces and nephews.