Philip Frances Howard Pugh 1917 - 2009

GREDELL, PUGH, RAMSDELL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/23/2020 at 15:04:12

Sioux City Journal
12 March 2009

SIOUX CITY -- Dr. Philip F.H. Pugh, 91, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, formerly of Sioux City, died Friday, March 6, 2009, at Lakes Regional Hospital in Spirit Lake.

A celebration of his colorful life will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be in Okoboji Cemetery, Arnolds Park, Iowa. Visitation will be 9 a.m. until service time Friday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Turner Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Condolences may be sent online to www.turnerfuneralhomes.com.

Philip Frances Howard Pugh was born in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 22, 1917, the son of V.H. and Doris (Gredell) Pugh. He lived his early and most of his adult years in Sioux City. He graduated from East High School in Morningside, spending all his summers with family by the water at Lake Okoboji.

He went on to receive his undergraduate degree at Iowa State University in Ames. He was attending medical school at the University of South Dakota, when a pretty drama major was playing the piano. Barging in with his baritone voice, he soon met and fell in love with the woman who later became his wife. Betty Lu Ramsdell attended nursing school in Philadelphia, Pa., while he attended medical school at Temple University. He completed his fellowship in neurology and psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where the first two of his five children were born.

With his young family, the couple moved back to Iowa, where he became Sioux City's first psychiatrist. He often said he had the best job in the world, because he loved people. In Sioux City, three more children arrived.

The couple were active at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sioux City and started the Heather Highlanders Bagpipe Band. Many wonderful memories involve celebrations of Hogmanay and Robbie Burns Day and productions of Brigadoon. More than anything, however, they enjoyed music at home with Betty playing the piano and Phil and the kids singing.

Summers were spent at Lake Okoboji, where he enjoyed sailing (often in very heavy wind with his foul weather gear) and swimming (soon after the ice was out). The couple made Lake Okoboji their permanent home during their later years. He was an active member of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Spirit Lake, was a supporter of the arts, as well as Lakeside Labs. He also participated in the Rotary and relished playing the bagpipes wherever his services were requested or as many will recall early in the morning on the dock. He was a fixture at many Okoboji functions and the couple often greeted friends and neighbors with bagpipe tunes and Betty's modified Haggis.

His wife, Betty, preceded him in death in 1999. He remained at their home by the lake and since 2001 was a resident at Milford Nursing Home.

He is survived by his children, Philip Hughes, Kathleen Rowland, Alicia Sandre, Charles Pugh and Elizabeth Campbell; 13 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Ramsdell; and his siblings, Vivienne Lentell and Vernon Hughes.

Memorial gifts may be made in honor of Philip to St. Alban's Foundation Fund as well at lakeside Labs.

The family would like to extend their thanks to Alice Goetsch, Shar Kinnetz, Dr. and Mrs. Shively, the Rev. Carl Mann and the St. Alban's community as well as the staff and friends at Milford Nursing Center for all their love and support.