Kyle M. Pugh, 85, of the Spokane Valley peacefully entered into eternal rest on Sunday, February 13, 2022. He will be greatly missed and always remembered for his sense of humor and his love of music that he shared with the world.

Kyle was born on January 6, 1937 in Spokane, WA to Kyle Sr. and Lenora "Toni" Pugh. Upon graduating from Cheney High School he joined the US Naval Reserve where he served for eight years.

Kyle married the love of his life, Sue Pugh in 1961, and the couple had two children. They recently celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Kyle played in numerous live bands in the late 50s and continued playing bass guitar until his retirement at the age of 84. He played Tuba with the Spokane Philharmonic Orchestra before it became the Spokane Symphony. During Expo '74 he played Tuba in the German Band and Expo band every day the fair was open. He also played with the Jim Baker Orchestra, Spokane British Brass Band, Master Class Jazz Orchestra, Project Joy Orchestra, The Variety Pac, and many more to name. He played gigs with local Piano legend, Arnie Carruthers and others at the Davenport and Ridpath hotels. In 1969 he joined a regional dance band, "The Many Sounds of Nine." Together with the other member's families, they traveled all over the Pacific Northwest as well as Big Sky, Montana, Sun Valley, Idaho and Jackpot, Nevada. He has so many wonderful memories of playing music with the band members who have continued to camp and play old tunes together.

Kyle graduated from EWU in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. He worked for Spokane Public Schools where he taught music to hundreds of elementary and junior high students for 21 years. He was involved in the Elks Club, Evergreen Railroad Modelers, Inland NW Rail Museum, American (HAM) Radio League Ka7csp, and the Professional Musician's Union # 105.

Kyle was a volunteer for the Spokane Bloomsday Association, providing Ham radio communications for 40 years. He also enjoyed model trains, photography, lots of beloved cats, donuts in all shapes and sizes, and camping.

Kyle is survived by his wife, Sue Pugh; son, Jeff Pugh (Leann); daughter, Kari Hansen; his grandchildren, Vanessa Pugh, Ashley Pugh (Corbin), Chris Hansen, Chandler Hansen, and Chad Hansen. He also is a great-grandpa to Rhyse.

A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 26 at 1:00 pm at Opportunity Christian Fellowship, 1313 S. Pines Road in the Spokane Valley. Please wear stripes with plaid, Hawaiian shirts, or anything comfortable and casual.

The family would like to thank Kindred at Home Care services, MultiCare Valley Hospital 3rd floor nurses, and Spokane Valley Fire Stations # 7 & 9 for their care, and compassion.

Donations can be made to Cheney Historical Museum, PO Box 457, Cheney WA 99004 or Cheney Railroad Museum, 1921 1st, PMB 140, Cheney, WA 99004

Please visit https://www.dignity memorial.com/obituaries/spokane-wa/kyle-pugh-10586398 to add memory and leave condolences on Kyle's online guestbook.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Spokesman-Review from Mar. 2 to Apr. 1, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Kyle PUGH

10 Entries

Bob & Anita

March 31, 2022

Hugs to your entire family! We´re going to miss Kyle´s sense of humor, his wonderful stories, and his endless knowledge of music, trains, history, etc. Will see you soon to hug you all in person!

Joanne Chandler (Gleason)

March 7, 2022

I have wonderful childhood memories of Kyle playing with my Dad (Dale) in the Many Sounds of Nine big band. The Spike Jones type songs he did were always SO FUNNY and my favorites if I was allowed to go into a show (that and Uncle Harley doing Hello Dolly, of course). So many wonderful memories of camping with the whole Many Sounds of 9 band and families in the summers! Kyle is greatly missed by the Gleason family. We're sending much love to the Pugh family!

Washington State

March 6, 2022

Thank you for your service to our country. Rest In Peace.

David Wright

March 5, 2022

Sorry for your loss. My father was N7BGG Vern. They will have time now to catch up on all the Ham stuff. I remember playing music with Kyle up at Priest Lake . He will be missed. We our in Yuma AZ. Will not be back in Spokane until May. God bless you and comfort you and your family.

A John Newett Jr.

March 3, 2022

My brother Jimmy and I first met Kyle in about 1996 when we moved to Newport, WA. from Texas. We met Him and Sue through Dick and Beulah Noble through their amateur radio group. They liked to go out and eat every Friday and we got into the routine very easily. We liked to eat out too. Brother Jimmy set up his shop here and started making stringed instruments which only he could play. Eight string electric guitars sized to his hand and tuned like no other guitar. Only Jimmy could play them. Kyle was intrigued by such an instrument. Jimmy did a few minor repairs on Kyle's instruments and a major restoration of one badly damaged acoustic guitar. Also, Jimmy and I discovered Kyle's interest in railroads, both real and models. Jimmy started building O gauge building model building for a model RR we intended to build, but never did. Kyle would get real excited about a model he picked up in a store or from an ad and later ebay. Some needed fixing, I would fix them in my shop. Kyle's smile when fixed was my reward.

Kyle loved to chide me about my piano playing. Well I hadn't played much in over 50 years when we moved here. My mother's Story and Clark piano was over 50 years old and had suffered through most of those years in Texas heat in an un air conditioned house. It is now over 70 years old. I could never keep it in tune. The brightness of the strings are gone. Those that broke I tied knots in them and put them back in "service". A piano tuner in Dallas told me how to do that.

Kyle and Sue always attended our annual parties at our place in summer. Kyle would always bring his instrument and play songs along with Jimmy and any other musician that might show up. I cooked the hamburgers and stayed away from the piano! Those were fun days along with many camping trips around the area. Kyle always brought along his bass and Jimmy always had his guitar or occasionally the banjo.

Many of the friends are gone now or retired from camping or eating out. Brother Jimmy departed in 2011. After that, get togethers were getting less and less. They were fun years always to be remembered. Kyle had a pretty good sense of humor and always a joke or two. No matter how corny, he always got someone to laugh. Kyle also had a good voice and though he didn't do a lot of singing at our gatherings, I heard enough to appreciate the talent.

I can't help but wonder if in the beyond, Kyle and Jimmy may yet again and play together. Of course, after Jimmy builds a new shop and finally builds another eight string guitar that nobody else can play but him! Thank you Kyle for being a good friend to Jimmy and me all those all too short
years.

Craig & Jean Hiatt

March 2, 2022

We will miss you out camping.

VERA JARRARD

March 2, 2022

SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR LOVED ONE

Rob Conrad

March 2, 2022

Mr P lit a fire in me for a broad range of music interest. I was also a Gary Jr High student, even had Troys younger brother Todd as a classmate in band class. We all loved his sense of humor, his talent, and his patience with a bunch squirrelly young teens. I was so happy to reconnect with him and I did get the chance to tell him how big of an influence he was on us. He will always be remembered.

Troy Watson

March 2, 2022

Our families go back to the day I was born...even further if you count my grandmother's influence in introducing Kyle and Sue. So many memories from camping, Madison Elem music, Garry Jr High Band, Expo 74 season ticket holder, friends with Jeff and much more. You will be missed, but your legacy and history of your music will be with us forever.

Lori Carruthers Klassen

March 2, 2022

Kyle´s smile and huge heart will hold a special place in my memories. I loved listening to dad and Kyle play and I am sure they are jamming a good jazz tune with their friends in heaven...

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