Jean E. PUGH

Although I never had Dr. Pugh as a professor, I admired her as I saw her in the halls and around the Christopher Newport campus in the late `60s and early `70s. She is truly missed and had a great impact on all the students there.

I was a student of Dr. Pugh at Christopher Newport College and I helped with the coaching of the ladies basketball team while she was the coach. A fine teacher and wonderful person!

We have just heard about Jean's passing with great sorrow. When we came to Old Dominion University in 1962, she was already one of the most loved and respected teachers. She was instrumental in developing the biology curriculum and was loved by the students she taught. We are sorry we haven't been in touch recently but she will always be one of our favorite friends. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her family

On behalf of Dr. Pugh's friends from James Madison University we extend our deepest sympathy...I loved that Dr. Pugh planted our Madison Century Purple Pride Zinnias in her garden each spring...I will miss visiting her...Karen Wheatley

To Burt and all others who loved Jean: There will be a TRIBUTE TO DR. JEAN PUGH published October 19 (if delayed, Oct. 26) on the following website: www.cncdecaders.com. This TRIBUTE will remain on the website's HOME page throughout October and will be accessible later in the website's ARCHIVES. The TRIBUTE will be a collection of anecdotes written by Jean's CNC colleagues and students: memories of Jean as biology professor, women's basketball coach,faculty member,friend and humanitarian. We invite you to enjoy these little stories, many of which will leave you smiling if not laughing. We believe Jean is even now enjoying them herself!
Jane Chambers
Professor Emerita of English, CNC

I regret to hear of the passing of Jean (Dr. Pugh). She was a good friend and and a great professor. I was honored to have her as a teach for Biology (4 Classes and Labs) and Botany. She knew all of her students by name and was could easily change roles of professor to friend in instant. Dr. Jean encourage me to peruse my education to the fullest and was responsible for mentoring me to the point completing my PHD. in 2009. Dr. Jean raised the bar few professors were able to reach. But is was here friendship that will be missed by this student.

My deepest sympathy for your loss. Dr. Pugh was my biology professor at CNC. She was a matter of fact, no nosense type of person that touch the hearts of those she educated. She motivated me to be my best. My prayers for her and your family. She is remembered.

Oh Mary Burton, my heart breaks for you. I have just gotten back into town and have learned of Jean's passing. I find it ironic that it is the end of the growing season for her and her plants. Please take care of her birdies and yourself! Just call if I can be of help. My thoughts are with you during this healing time.

Jean had a gruff, no-nonsense exterior but her heart was boundless. Most of the hundreds of thousands of young people who passed through Gloucester's schools for several generations had no idea of the staunch friend they had in Jean Pugh, not only as a longtime member of the School Board but as a behind-the-scenes advocate and benefactor for children who were down on their luck. Her quiet, anonymous generosity earned her the affectionate title "Fairy Godmother" among the few who knew and kept her private philanthropy a closely guarded secret. May Jean rest in well-deserved peace and may her memory live on in Gloucester for generations to come.

We think of Jean and you, Burt,and all our good times together. She will surely be missed, by us and our entire family. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Nancy and Jerry Williams

Our Thoughts and Prayers to the family and the School system. Jean will be greatly missed.

To all of Jean's family I wish you comfort in remembering all of the wonderful lessons she taught and her great love for others. Mary Burton a special prayer goes out to you in hopes that your heart mends quickly. She is smiling at you tron heaven. God Bless you all.

My sympathies to the Pugh family and all of Dr. Pugh's dear friends. I had the chance to know Dr. Pugh well while she served on the Gloucester County School Board and formed a great deal of respect for her and her commitment to education for Gloucester. As I think about her, my memory goes right to walking up to the Courthouse circle on what I think were tuesday evenings early each month for school board meetings. She was a wonderful chair and served all of Gloucester to the highest level.

To Jean's Family,
You have my deepest sympathy. Jean was a kind, loving and remarkable lady. May God be with you all in this sad time. Jean will be missed by everyone whose lives she touched.

Burt, I was so very sorry to hear about Jean's passing. She was truly a wonderful caring person and will be greatly missed. When Gloucester County and education is mentioned, I can not help but think of Jean and her many contributions. I know you will miss her, but she will always remain in your heart.

I am very sorry to lose such a special lady. But, now in God's care, she suffers not and will a new and very special life.

I am saddened to hear about the loss of such a great, caring lady to our community and the students of the Gloucester County School system. Our deepest sympathy to her family and friends.

I was a little girl that lived down the street from "Miss Pugh" in the 60's. She loved people and the earth. Dr. Pugh delighted in showing little children all the wonders that were buried in the soil. She was a fascinating person. Her presence will be missed.

I was saddened to hear of this great loss! Dr. Pugh was what education should be, and inspired me to always put students first! She was a great supporter of me and my program at Gloucester High School. Rest In Peace!

I was a student at Christopher Newport College and had the pleasure of having Dr. Pugh for biology and as my Senior Adviser. She was a teacher that you'll never forget. She was a mentor, teacher, and friend. She will be missed by so many.

Burt so sorry to hear about Jeans Passing,I know she meant a great deal to you and you to her. We will keep you in our prayers.

I will remeber Dr. Pugh for her passion for education, her forthright manner and her wonderful sense of humor. She was usually one of the first to respond to our invitations to appear at candidate forums, and she was always there (although sometimes in a wheelchair) as an able and effective advocate for our children and our schools. You will be missed, Dr. Pugh! Although I was never your student, you taught me a lot. You were a class act, an exemplary public servant, and a great role model.

Nadine Tatum
Middle Peninsula League of Voters (MidPenVOTE)

Jean lived a life of compassionate service to others, mostly with quiet humility, but with high expectations and sometimes an iron hand in the classroom and generous support of her students and colleagues. She was my only friend who had a crayfish species named after her and knew endless variations of seven card stud. Thank you, Jean, for our long friendship.

Sam Bauer, Christiansburg, Virginia

Jean helped & guided me when I first came to teach at CNU in 1985. She was a generous colleague and will be missed by her CNU family.
Love you Jean.

I was a Freshman at CNC in 1965 and had Dr Jean for Bio 101. I was totally unprepared for this dynamic onslaught of a personality! "This is college people! Get used to it!" And we did. I did have a bit of difficulty with the cigarettes, though. What a presence she was. I'm so glad she was able to continue her teaching career. She was born to it. We all knew that as soon as we met her. I was so sorry she was not at the 50th Reunion. She would have heard so many of these stories of love and admiration. But then, she didn't much cotton to that sort of thing.

Memories of Biology at Warwick High School, She made learning fun!

What a great teacher. My condolences to her family and friends.

I will think of you often, especially when the red maples bloom in January.
You taught me so much that I, in turn, shared with my students at Abingdon Elementary School.
I will miss you but am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with you and learned from you.
Good-by Jean.

Dr. Pugh was a steadfast friend of the students and employees of Gloucester County Public Schools. Her tireless efforts and constant commitment to improve public education in our county will be profoundly missed.

Mary Burton Hill Gleason, our prayers, thoughts, and love are with you. I knew Jean through you, and I (we Williams") all enjoyed that!! My husband took a Biology class from Jean at CNU, back in the early 80's. He still talks about that class and says, "Dr. Pugh taught me biology well". He said she also taught some good life skills like, "There is no such thing as a free lunch", and "Life is not fair". My husband still quotes her! It brings much sadness that Jean will not be teaching our world. Much Love to you, Mary Burton Hill Gleason!!

As a freshman at CNC in the fall of 1967 Dr. Pugh was my Lab instructor for Biology. I did not have her for lecture, but ended up attending her lectures as well as my required ones, remember those days when you could not cut a class? I found Dr. Pugh's delivery of Biology so down to earth that, because of her, I majored in Biology. Because of her, I taught Biology for 26 years trying to develop in my students the same enthusiasm she had developed in me. Years later as I began a new career in Parks and Rec. in Gloucester, I met Dr. Pugh again, and shared time together, she always had time for everyone. I am who I am and where I am today, due to Dr. Pugh, I will truely miss her.

Dear Doctor Pugh,
I was so sorry to hear of your death.I am thankful for inspiring me to become interested in science.My sympathies to your friends and family.Mary Long,1965-'66

My life was so enriched by having Jean as a colleague and very special friend. Thanks you, Jean, for letting me into your world and showing me so much about what was important in life. We have lost a very special person!

Dr. Jean Pugh was one of the strongest advocates, supporters, and champions of Gloucester County Public Schools—she embodied our school division's motto, “Students First.” Gloucester County Public Schools was her joy and her passion. Her contributions to education, the Gloucester County School Board, Gloucester County Public Schools, and the citizenry of Gloucester are too numerous to list here, yet her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of all us. Today we mourn over the great loss of a dear friend. Tomorrow we will remember Dr. Jean Pugh as one of our heroes. Jean challenged us not only to “shoot for the stars,” but also to "chase the comets." What remarkable person; what a remarkable friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of Jean's family and friends.

When I first attended CNC in the fall of 1967, I had no burning desire to learn anything relating to Science. I knew I wanted to be a history major, but I will always be grateful to Dr. Pugh for the Botany class she taught. She would walk us around the campus and the adjoining neighborhood asking repeatedly, genus, species please? And the multitude of freshmen would at first struggle to answer. Her way of teaching wasn't just a picture in a book with some pedantic definition; it was hands on and verbally descriptive, and fun. I still can't pass certain trees, shrubs, and plants without thinking, "That's a hemlock tree, Tsuga Canadensis, or that's a crepe myrtle, Lagerstroemia Indica." Thank you and may your rest in eternal peace.

Regardless of whether we agreed or not, we always respected each other. She "said what she meant" and "meant what she said". She cared greatly about the school system and it's future.

Buddy and Mary Rilee
Gloucester

Dr. Pugh will be sadly missed by all whose lives she touched. She was a professor -- and a friend -- of my late husband, Michael, who passed away in 1990. I also knew her, and will never forget her laugh and her wonderful sense of humor! Heaven will never be the same, once she and Michael meet up with each other. They'll have a lot of stories to tell! Seriously, though, my thoughts and prayers go out to her friends and family.

Dr. Jean Pugh is one of those rare, remarkable people who provide a pivotal presence in the lives of others by simply representing the reach of possibility. Among my favorite memories are the simplest of interactions--botany walks through the CNC neighborhoods, clean-up mornings on her farm lawns, bus trips with the basketball team, even those relentless Friday quizzes--but most of all that smile. The formal farewell may be private, but the sense of loss is felt by many who were enriched by the time we shared with her on this precious green planet.

Although I was not in one of Dr. Pugh's classes at Christopher Newport, I had great admiration for her. She will be missed.

I am deeply sadden by Dr. Pugh's death and the loss to CNU's great legacy. My sympathy and prayers go out to her family.

Wanted so badly to see her again.She had no idea the impact she had on my education and my teaching style

She was at CNU when I came in '69. A great lady; she'll be missed.

Dr. Pugh was one of my favorite instructors at CNC. I will never forget my first day as a freshmen,it was Biology Lab 101, in walks Dr. Pugh with a stack of trays in her hands. She took a drag of her cigarette,sip of her cola and said "I'm Dr. Jean Pugh here are the frogs go to it." The CNC/CNU community will truly miss her immensely.

I first met Jean Pugh as an 18 year old Freshman at the Division of William & Mary in Norfolk (now ODU)in 1955. It is hard to believe that she was only 7 years older than I at the time for she was so mature and helpful. She inspired me so much that I took 14 hours of biology classes that year and aspired to be a biology professor. Our paths crossed again when I returned to college in my thirties at Christopher Newport College. We were both delighted to renew our friendship although I had given up my biology goals many years ago. She had an enormous impact on my life and I'm sure on the lives of many others. My sympathy to her remaining family members and pray that Jean and I will meet again for the third time.

Jean was a dedicated educator. She was always one to encourage others to do their best. She will be deeply missed by all that knew her.

Sympathies to the Pugh family. Jean was my Biology instructor in my freshman year at Christopher Newport College. Her class was tough but she taught me a lot about Science. I know she will be greatly missed.

a great professor of mine at Christopher Newport and a valuable school board member in the Gloucester community...she left her footprint on this earth in many positive ways, which is what we all hope to achieve!

Jean will be greatly missed by all who value education in Gloucester County. She was a true friend to all stakeholders in GCPS. She validated all those who strive for Gloucester students and schools. I personally cherish her kind words to me, my husband, and my son. May she rest in peace.

thanks for all you did for gloucester county school. It was a pleasure working with you

Without Dr.Pugh I wouldn't be as successful as I am today, and will be forever grateful for the things she did for me as a student from Gloucester. Her legacy will live on forever in the upcoming years as I carry out her wishes to help other students, and I will never forget her. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family members and loved ones. God bless.

Her many contributions to Gloucester County will always be remembered

Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you.

Truly a loss to Gloucester County Public Schools and the community at large, but what an amazing legacy she has left. It was a privilege to know her, work with her, and learn from her.

Jean will be greatly missed by many. My thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones.