Henrietta Pugh

A Legacy of Caring for Others

The way Henrietta Pugh lived her life was a true testament to her positive attitude, selflessness, and true faith in the Lord. Henrietta was born to Henry Robert & Virginia Lowry McConkey and raised in Lenoir City, Tennessee. She and Will, her husband of 51 years, met in a drive-in restaurant in 1955 in Lenoir City, fell in love and married on December 23, 1957. Henrietta was a wonderful homemaker, mother, and grandmother and an active member of Concord United Methodist Church, the Symphony League and the Westmoreland Hills Lunch Bunch. She and Will raised three children of their own, Linda, Jim, and Mark and were blessed with grandchildren Elizabeth, Ryan, Will, Carol, Reese, and Rylie. She frequently travelled with Will to many national and Tennessee accounting professional association and board functions and visited every state except Indiana and Wisconsin. Henrietta fought cancer of an unknown origin for six years with four rounds of chemotherapy, beating it into remission three times. She passed away on October 26, 2009, at age 72, having never complained about her circumstances or the ordeal of her treatments.

Henrietta lived a God-honoring life. One of her many gifts was caring for others, especially senior citizens. She tenderly cared for her mother making daily drives to the Vonore-Madisonville area during the last year of her mother's life. She also spent over twenty years caring for three elderly aunts in the Sweetwater area who did not drive and put more miles on a car doing that than husband, Will, did working. Henrietta had a true gift relating to the elderly and frequently visited church members, friends, and parents of friends in area nursing homes, delivering goodies, taking them to lunch, and just being with them. She was a gracious and caring friend who lifted spirits and demonstrated her faith through her everyday demeanor and actions.

It is this lifetime "well lived" that inspired the Donor to launch this Fund in Henrietta's memory. It is the Donor's desire that this Fund follows Henrietta's example of caring for others above self.

It is this lifetime "well-lived" that inspired Will Pugh to create a fund in Henrietta's memory. Will talked with fellow Foundation board and Concord UMC members, Charlie Kuykendahl and Richard Timberlake about the Concord Adult Day Enrichment Services (CADES) ministry and the great need for funds to strengthen and foster its outreach ministry. The CADES program provides a safe, nurturing, and caring home-like atmosphere for participants who need care because of either physical or mental functioning impairments. CADES also provides support, education, and respite of caregivers. Most of the CADES participants are not associated with Concord UMC, meaning this truly is a wonderful outreach ministry to the community.

After careful thought, Will decided to issue a $100,000 challenge to match funds for this ministry, which so closely reflects Henrietta's lifetime values. Word spread among family, members of Concord UMC and other friends and associates. Over the course of just a few months the matching funds were in hand and THE HENRIETTA M. PUGH CADES ENDOWMENT FUND was established. Last October the Holston Conference Foundation Board surprised Will with a grant to this fund in loving memory of Henrietta and to thank him for his last two years of service as President.

Both Henrietta and Will have made a lasting impact in our community and the United Methodist Church. We are indeed thankful for their witness, example, and service.