TUSCALOOSA | John R. (Ronnie) Pugh, age 68, of Tuscaloosa, died September 7, 2014, at Hospice of West Alabama. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2014, at Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South with Rev. Albert Lyles officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South directing. The family will receive friends Tuesday, September 9th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Maurice B. and Ruby Lashley Pugh; his son, Jeffery Ranson Pugh; his sister-in-law, Margo Pugh; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charles A. and Lois M. Long.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy Long Pugh; his granddaughter, Lyndsey Pugh; his son, Wesley Pugh; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Jimmy Pugh, Don and Sarajane Pugh, Joe and Renette Pugh, and Eddie and Cherry Pugh; his grandchildren, Abby and Ashton Pugh and their mother Rebecca Mapp; numerous nieces and nephews that he loved with all of his heart and thought of as his very own; and last but not least, his four legged little girl, Roxy, affectionately known as "Little Booger."
Ronnie was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on March 2, 1946. He graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1964. Ronnie went to work for the City of Tuscaloosa in the Engineering Dept. on December 7, 1970 and was still an active employee at the time of his death, forty-four years later. He was retired from the Alabama Army National Guard with 25 years of service. He was instrumental in the development of the Northington Veterans Memorial Park on McFarland Blvd. He received a plaque for his service and leadership from PARA in 2005.
He loved to cook alongside his brothers Smiley and Eddie with the McAbee Pigfitters. They did many competition cookings as well as charity cookings. He received the Humanitarian Service Award for his time and support of the DCH Foundations' Help and Hope Fund at BBQ and Bluejeans. He was very active with his service to the BBQ cooking contests at CityFest in downtown Tuscaloosa. In 1999, he received the Joe Niles Memorial Sportsmanship Award, but most of all he will be remembered for all of his first place trophies in the "Anything Butt Contest" especially his "three legged chicken."
Ronnie Pugh loved his life, he loved his friends and most of all he loved his family. He has left a void that will never be filled.
Pallbearers will be Alan McDuff Chad Christian, Jerry Channell, Ronnie Harless, Max Culp, Scott Barton, Charles Melson and Shane Roberts.
Honorary pallbearers are all past and present employees of the City of Tuscaloosa, all contractors and engineers he has worked with for the past forty-four years, Tuscaloosa High School Class of 1964, McAbee Pigfitters Cooking Team, members of Woodland Forrest Country Club, neighbors in Woodland Forrest subdivision and 4th Court East, his wonderful caregivers who fought so hard – Dr. George Miller, Dr. John Miller and the entire staff at Tuskaloosa Internal Medicine, Dr. Jeffery Anderson with Cardiology Consultant, Dr. Dirk Berry and staff, Dr. Jose Osorio with Alabama Cardiovascular Group at St. Vincent's Birmingham, the wonderful staff on 6 North at DCH and the loving caregivers at Hospice of West Alabama.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Hospice of West Alabama.
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