I wonder if maybe he prayed while he made them. He was a private man so we may never know. I'm sure Eric's mom prayed while he made them because six years ago I found myself being confirmed Catholic. It was during those nine months of classes I learned about the rosary. And sometime during those months, after all those years away from the Catholic faith, my husband pressed a rosary into my hand and prayed the most beautiful, healing rosary prayer for me. All of those rosaries Kenny Pugh made became very important to me during that prayer.
Kenny Pugh died last Friday. He was 86 years old. During the evening on Thursday, I had an overwhelming feeling to call Mona Lou, Eric's mom. I had a customer drop off a quilt top and just wanted to visit with her about it because she is an avid quilter. But I was holding my granddaughter, Miss Sophia, who was missing her daddy and mommy so much and crying. The evening passed and it was too late to call. Kenny was not one to talk on the phone much. He would answer. I would say, "Hi..how are you?" and he would almost immediately say, "Here's Mona Lou." But if I would have called I might have heard his voice one last time.
Kenny was a craftsman. He worked with his hands. He was a carpenter and a woodworker. So making rosaries came naturally to him. His real gifting was with woodworking. He built the home where he and Mona Lou raised their family and shared together for almost sixty years. His shop is still in the basement filled with treasures. It is a sacred space and one that the kids and grandkids knew they were not to step in without permission, although they did. I hadn't stepped in there until yesterday. I think he's chuckling in heaven knowing all of the treasures to be found in that space. Eric found his dad's journal written during his time in the navy tucked away and covered in sawdust. Mona Lou had never seen it. Yes, he was a very private man.
After hearing of his passing, I walked around my house realizing how many things he made for us that I use daily. There is something in every room...most rooms have lots of things. He framed pictures for me, made whistles and trucks for the kids, and always had some clever or silly thing to give us like the toast grabber (those of you who have a toast grabber are giggling about now). He didn't think that toast grabber was silly. I also have a beautiful clock, which I have always treasured, and my yarn barn hand carved with my name by Kenny. He wanted us to have everything displayed that he made. I always sensed his frustration with me at not having the ducks he carved displayed and he always wanted to know where they were. Kenny - I gave one to Bret because he lost his in the fire and the other one is on Eric's night stand.
Sometime during my RCIA classes or shortly after I was confirmed, I asked Kenny to make me a rosary using a small San Domiano crucifix Eric brought me from Italy. He said, "Well, I'll have to use some smaller beads but I think I can." He did. It is, I believe, a one of a kind rosary and probably one of the smallest he ever made. Eric's brother, Bret, said he didn't like working with the smaller beads. I will always cherish this rosary.
Shortly after I was confirmed, I told Eric we needed to go home so Kenny could teach me how to make rosaries. So we did and I spent a weekend learning. They came here another weekend and he gave me some more tips. I feel incredibly blessed to have learned this art from him. He made over 6,000. To date I have made fifty. I better get busy.
What I think I know about my father-in-law:
1. He was very consistent and lived in routine.
2. He was frugal.
3. He fed the birds and the squirrels everyday without fail.
4. He said very little but if he spoke you better listen.
5. The door to basement better get shut.
6. Don't stand and stare in the fridge...get what you want and get out.
7. Dinner is at noon and supper is at six. Don't be late.
8. He ate anything happily unless it was green for the most part...although he liked green beans.
9. He didn't like asparagus.
10. He came home and changed his shoes and clothes like Mr. Rogers.
11. Before he retired he took a snooze all stretched out in his chair...after he took a snooze whenever he wanted I think..we have lots of pictures of him sleeping.
12. He was the most loyal man to his wife I have ever, ever known.
13. He saved everything.
14. He was very humble and didn't take credit for anything he did.
15. He loved to play cribbage and made many cribbage boards.
16. He loved a snack of cheese and crackers before dinner.
17. He drank very weak white rum and diet cokes.... I think Thursday nights and maybe Saturdays after mass?
18. He also usually stocked the cheapest beer in the fridge or downstairs.
19. If the dishes weren't done, he would get up and do them.
20. He rose early before everyone else.
21. He liked to keep dry-roasted nuts in the cupboard for a snack.
22. He liked to pick black walnuts from their shells...incredibly patient with those.
23. If you asked him if he had something..he probably did... I asked him when Eric and I were first married for an old wagon wheel and he had one. It has been with us in every house we have lived.
24. He had the highest pain tolerance of anyone I have ever known and never complained that I ever heard.
25. My husband has his feet...and so do my kids and grandkids.... I only saw his one time when he was in the hospital and I was embarrassed to see them without socks or shoes.
There are many more.....
Kenny came down in October to give guidance to Eric on the building of our garage. All of the us treasure that time. I knew we would. Just not so soon. He mostly sat but he drew out the plans for the steps and gave guiding words. He came inside and I said, "Eric really appreciates you being here helping." He said, "Oh, I'm not doing much." Always humble. But he was doing everything that Eric needed. The kids will never forget how to straighten a board or a nail.
I stepped out on our deck that weekend in my white painters bibs. He chuckled when he saw me and said, "Oh, I probably have some of those you could use." He said he was required to wear two layers of clothes at Griffin Construction..he really didn't know why...so he just always kept doing it after he started his Pugh Construction.
Kenny never gave me any advice in thirty years until his hug goodbye that weekend. He told me I was too busy. I was so surprised to hear his words... and I listened. I have been slowly making changes to my schedules. I will not forget that last hug.
We ended his vigil Sunday night with a rosary prayer. Over 100 people were there. The grandkids handed out the last of his rosaries to those who wanted one. During the first decade, I had a vision of Kenny. He was looking down from the left and smiling a big smile. It was blue and green and bright behind him. Tears streamed and dripped down my face and off my chin. I wanted him to come back but he didn't. I thought maybe it was in my imagination. During the funeral the next day the priest talked about his big smile. I then thought maybe I was just seeing the picture on the program so I picked it up and looked. But I wasn't. That's not what I saw. I won't forget what I saw..... what an amazing thing for us to be praying with rosaries where he touched every single bead.
You lived a good life, Kenny Pugh. So handsome in life and so handsome and peaceful in death. You showed us love, not in words, but by making things for us. You will be greatly missed. Thanks for being an example of a good husband to my husband. Looking forward to telling my grandkids someday they have their great-grandpa Kenny's feet.... I'm sure they'll groan. But eventually they'll understand how wonderful it is.
Have fun playing with Lane and Mona Marie......
Love,
Monica
My Rosary
