Mary Jo Underwood Birdwell, age 75, of Nashville, passed away October 25, 2009. Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 27, 11 a.m., at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home in Franklin. Calvin Parker officiated. Mrs. Birdwell was born July 19, 1934 in Lewis County. She was the daughter of he late Charlotte Hinson Mitchell and Claude Mitchell, formerly of Hohenwald. Mrs. Birdwell was retired from Metro Department of Education where she taught special education at Gower, Cockrill, Harpeth Valley Elementary and Bellevue Middle School. She opened her home up to over 20 homeless and abused children, caring for them as her own. She taught many Sunday school classes at Parkwood, West End and Bellevue Church of Christ. She is survived by two sons, Jack Gary (Lee Ann) Underwood, Michael Gregory (Melese) Underwood of Franklin; grandchildren, Rachel, Alex, Nicholas, and Alyessa Underwood; aunt, Joanne Hinson Hyatt of Hohenwald, and uncle, Charles Cuthbert Hinson of Columbia.