MALTA-Jerry
E. Pugh, 77, an Army Veteran and retired school teacher, died Tuesday,
Jan.12 at Peace Hospice in Great Falls of natural causes.
Rosary will be Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7:00 P.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic
Church. Mass will be 11:00 A.M., Friday, Jan. 15 at the church.
Interment will be 2:00 P.M. Saturday, Jan. 16 in the
Riverview
Cemetery
at
Fort
Benton
with Military Honors. Kirkwood Funeral Home and Hi-Line Crematory are in
charge of arrangements. Condolences maybe left for the family at www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.
Jerry was born December 3, 1932 in
Fort
Benton
to Clarence and Rose (Nagengast) Pugh. Jerry graduated from
Fort
Benton
High School
in 1953 and was drafted into the Army that same year. He served in the
US
7th Army and was headquartered in
Germany
during the Korean Conflict. He was a lifetime member of the VFW Post
4047,
Fort
Benton
,
MT.
Jerry
worked for the Great Northern Railroad over a span of 10 years. He
graduated from
Western
Montana
College
with a BS in Education in 1960. Jerry also attended
Montana
State
University
,
University
of
Oregon
and
University
of
South Dakota
over the years. Jerry taught business/PE classes and coached 8-man
football, track and basketball in
Inverness
,
MT
1961-1978, then Dodson 1978-1992. He married his wife Darlene in 1970.
Jerry enjoyed football, track, hunting, fishing, reading and traveling.
Some of his favorite memories were with his dog “Patch,” family
reunions and being an Assistant Coach at the East-West Shrine Game in
1975. Jerry stated “I had a good life” and wanted to be remembered
as such.
Jerry is survived by his wife Darlene of Malta, children Robert Pugh of
Malta, Bart (Aurika) Pugh of Denver, CO, John (Vicki) Pugh of New
Canaan, CT, TSgt Matthew Pugh of Grand Forks AFB, ND, Rebecca Pugh of
Great Falls; siblings Norma (Juan) Olivarez of Harlingen, TX, Jim
(Shirley) Pugh of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, Cleo Pool of Waco, TX, Roger
Pugh of Turlock, CA; three grandchildren Joey, Michael and Danielle, and
numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents
Clarence and Rose Pugh, siblings Josephine Mulcahy and David Pugh.
Memorials are suggested to Gift of Life Housing - Benefis Foundation,
Great Falls
,
MT.
