Francis Doreen Pugh

Francis Doreen "Dodie" Pugh, of Mineola TX, died in the early hours of Wednesday, September 5th, 2012, peacefully as she slept. She was 80 years old, born Sept. 15th, 1931 in Troy, IL, to Everette and Pearl Dorson. As a young girl, her maternal grandparents, Albert and Lucille Starr took over her rearing up through her teens and high school graduation in Keosauqua, Iowa.

She came to Dallas, TX and started her career, from the bottom, in insurance bookkeeping. When she met Bill, in 1957, she was the executive secretary to Fontain Alexander of Drake, Alexander and Drake Insurance Company, at the time the largest insurance brokerage in the south.

In late 1962, two years after she and Bill were married, she gave up her career to make a home for Bill and their son, Austin, was born Jan. 1963. In 1966 the family moved to Lodi, CA, where Bill owned a new Gibson's Discount Store. Dodie jumped right in to become the full charge Bookkeeper and Accts. Payable clerk.

Later she worked for the City of Lodi and was elected President of the Lodi City Employees Assoc. They moved to Tyler TX in 1979 to be near Bill's aging parents, Leland and Nonie Bell Long of Mineola, TX.

In 1984, she started her own bookkeeping and accounting business, "Dodie P. Services", with 13 monthly clients, including proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and 45/60 income tax clients.

But the foregoing is but a fraction of her abilities and accomplishments. Bill says, "I've been supremely privileged to have spent almost 52 years with the person I've loved and admired above all".

For the past few years her health declined and her various pains worsened. Then after a two month stay in the hospital her condition rapidly declined and she was sent to the Hospice of East Texas, 411 University Blvd., Tyler TX 75701. She continued to weaken but, at long last, it was without pain.

She has been cremated, as requested, and her ashes will be scattered by Bill, Austin and granddaughter, Megan. She is survived by her husband Bill Pugh of Mineola; a son, Austin Pugh and granddaughter, Megan, both of Stevensville, Montana; a half sister, Joan Weisenstein of Smithon, IL; and a half brother, Darrel Dorson of Fairview Heights, IL.

Bill will host an informal gathering of her friends at Beaty Funeral Home, Mineola, from 6 PM to 7PM, Sunday, Sept. 16th, 2012. In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made to the Hospice of East Texas. "It was a warm light after a harrowing journey.