Beulah Carolyn Griggs Pugh, 91

Beulah Carolyn Griggs Pugh, 91, (lovingly called Be), joined her husband, Max Pugh, in heaven on Aug. 9, 2018, passing away from complications of dementia.

Beulah was born in Pierre, South Dakota, on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1926, to Ulysses Samuel Griggs and Clara Margaret Anderson Griggs. With her quiet smile and gentle ways, she was a gift to them and to all people who met her.

From the beginning, Beulah’s family was her joy and priority in life. Together with her three siblings, she was raised by a loving mother after Beulah’s beloved father’s life was cut short in a tragic accident when she was 7 years old. But rather than undo their family, the loss served to deepen their bonds, drawing them closer together. Their family was their support system.

Much of her early years were spent on her grandparents’ farm in Pierre, which provided them with a wonderful life of exploration and adventure. After graduating high school, Beulah worked at the statehouse for the Public Utilities Commission.

In 1947 Beulah married her sweetheart, Max Eugene Pugh, and they cultivated a family and home that they enjoyed for 66 years before Max passed away in 2013.

After leaving Pierre in 1950, Max and Beulah finally settled near the mountains in Evergreen, Montana. There they put down their roots, raising five children and building lifelong friendships. During that time Beulah worked as a bookkeeper for 23 years at Sears.

Looking back with warmth and wisdom, Beulah reflected, “I hope my children and grandchildren all continue to have their special reunions with each other every year … I love sitting back and relishing the moments when the kids all gather and start telling stories or just enjoying each other. This is my joy.”

Beulah is survived by her five children, Connie (Ralph) Brownell, Rhonda Butcher, Monty Pugh, Nancy Fordham and Rebecca (Dale) Spencer; her 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be celebrated at 10a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home, with burial following the service at the Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery. A reception after the burial will be held at Village Greens Community Center.

Memorials can be made to the Samaritan House or Alzheimer’s Association.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family. Please visit www.jgfuneralhome.com to leave condolences for the family.