Gary Pugh

Gary Thurman Pugh, 67, of Melbourne, died early Monday morning, February 6 under the care of Iowa River Hospice, at his home with family and friends at his bedside.Memorial services conducted under the guidance of the family will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, February 9, at the New Horizon Methodist Church in Melbourne with Pastor Brian Oliver and Pastor Brent DeSilva officiating. The committal will be family only in the Melbourne Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the church.Born on February 11, 1944, in Centerville, Iowa, he was the son of Sandford Thurman and Nelma Jean (Stevens) Pugh. He attended school at Bostons School District #5 (which is in the middle of nowhere!) and graduated from the Melbourne High School in 1962 where he remained and raised four children with his former wife.Gary served our country honorably in the United States Naval Reserves from 1962 to 1963. He was employed at Juel Truck Lines for 30 plus years and 25 years at Fisher Controls as a welder. He also helped local farmers: Red White and Kenny Pothast. Gary worked construction and was also a truck driver. He was a hard worker and a good provider for his family. Gary was a member of the Masonic Lodge AF ABATE of Iowa, and The Two Rivers BMW Motorcycle Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, the outdoors, farming, spending time with his dog: Rowdy, gardening, working on machinery and time with family and friends. He loved music, playing cards (especially pepper) and was a talented welder.Left to cherish his memory are Jackie, his loving wife whom he married on September 22, 1998, his children- Teresa (Dan) Vodochodsky of Tama and their children- Bliss, Dakota and Jensen; Tracy Pugh of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and his children Cael and Cade; Angela (Steve) Hermann of Des Moines and their children Sonny, Silvio, Rocky and Julian; and Aaron (Michelle) Pugh of Cedar Rapids and their children Gabriel and Aubrey, and his mother as well as many friends.In death, he rejoined his father and brother Steven Douglas Pugh.