Warren Sidney Pugh passed away peacefully on Feb. 16, 2020, in his home surrounded by family.
He was born on Dec. 6, 1932, in Bremerton to Gilbert Frank Pugh and Luzena Sidonia Wolfkill. He served two years in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1953 to 1955. After his discharge from the Army, he attended college, earning a master’s degree in education. He married Joyce Poulsen in 1962, that marrige ending in divorce.
Warren taught school in the Lynden School District for 30 years, retiring in 2000.
In 2015 he met and married Marilynne Freeman in Florida and they moved to Logan, Utah, in 2016. He attended the First Presbyterian Church.
Among his accomplishments, he was dedicated to introducing chess programs into elementary and middle schools. On their many travels Warren and Marilynne would go into a town, look for the schools and he would go in, ask if they had a chess program and if they did not he would give the school two or three chess sets to start up a program. He believed that math, music and chess were what made for a well-rounded and forward-thinking child.
He is survived by his wife, Marilynne; sons Kelly (Ami) Pugh, Roger (Leanne) Pugh and Troy (Leslie) Pugh; also his stepchildren Heather Darlin, Mary Crosiar and Sean Crosiar; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by son Ryan in a vehicle accident in Utah in 2001.
Warren was a kind, giving person who always thought of others before himself. He was loved by so many and will be greatly missed.
There will be a memorial service in Lynden at First Christian Reformed Church, 1010 Front St., at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16. A reception will follow immediately afterward in the church hall.
