The Last Pugh Reunion at Duck Creek

     Started around 75 years ago by the twelve children of Edward Kelly Pugh, the reunion came to a screeching halt this year.  Edward Pugh married Miriam Eliza Carling and had nine children, four of whom survived childhood. After her death, he married Annie Christiana Englestead and they had eight children, all of whom lived.

     All of the original twelve have passed onto the great beyond. Only nine first cousins reunited at Duck Creek this year. Judi Estes and her big family from Phoenix were the hosts this year. They came in five huge motorhomes, providing the breakfast on Saturday, onion rings and other delicacies. They would have had home made ice cream but the machine fell off the back of the truck.

DeRay Hugh*, Margo Platt daughter of Senith Pugh Haycock, Judi Estes daughter of Edna Pugh Smith, Kenneth son of Robert Pugh, Ron Pugh*, Karen Ogden*. Front: Lucille, daughter of Mina Pugh Gardner; Clare Thompson*, Marilyn Cornelison*. *Children of Duff Pugh. 

 Zion's Lookout on the way to Duck Creek Village.

 First year we have stayed in a cabin.

Clare and Marilyn invited us to share theirs -

eventually both Brent's and Brooke's families helped share it - on different nights.

 Amy slept in her tent between our cars.

She did most of our cooking, bandaged the injured, and kept us going.

Norm and Karen enjoying breakfast in the early days. 

  

 Birds Nests in the Eves.

 The Church nearby chimed a different hymn and the time every hour

keeping us spiritually on time.

 Amy, Amanda and Jan.

 Ed on his one and only walk.

 Naomi enjoying the hammock.

 Ed, Jan, Karen and Amanda.

 Marilyn and Clare and partial DeRay.

 Amy manning the kitchen.

 In the meadow by Duck Lake.

 Brent.

 A glass bowl crash-landed on Marilyn's big toe.

 Jan and Amanda put this 1000 piece puzzle together in 24 hours.

 DeRay and Ed didn't help.

 Uncle Ron stopped by for a visit.

 Brent & Clare.

 Amy and Karen, the Kitchen Aides extraordinaire.

 Jeanette doing nothing.

 Marilyn with the breakfast parfait she created.

 Sometimes you just relax.

 Amy hung her watercolors on our bedroom wall.

 Believe it or not, I caught Amanda doing dishes!

 Brooke, Elizabeth, Brigitte, Klarissa and Karlton arrived Friday

in time for left-over lunch from Mexican night.

  Jan, Brooke, Doug, Christy, Kaeden and Ron

 The Five Brothers and Sisters happened to be sitting in a row.

Karen, Ron, Marilyn, DeRay and Clare

Porter, Matt, Evie, Lynda, Erin and Scott.

Erin makes the best soup and salad. 

 Eddy, Dean, Porter, Matt and Evie.

 Christine, Christy, Elizabeth w/children

 Brent

Matt, Amy and Brooke on porch. 

 Klarissa found a mirror.

Only one bathroom in the cabin.

 Brigitte teaching Amanda to knit.

She had already crocheted a scarf.

 The porch gang again: Dean, Brent, Matt, and Amy.

I think they are talking about the time Brent and Brooke took Matt on a day-long hike

at Lake Powell from Cottonwood Canyon to the Rincon. 
He never wanted to hike with them again.

I'm sure that's what they are talking about. 

 Clare, Ed, Elizabeth, Klarissa and Karlton.

 Jan & Christine joined the porch gang.

 All together for a couple of hours:

Brigitte, Brooke, DeRay, Jan, Brent.

Klarissa, Amanda, Jeanette, Ed, Amy.

Karlton, Naomi, Elizabeth.
(Jonathan is in Kansas City working and Isaak is winding down his mission in Tucson, AZ)

 Naomi is a hugger. She initiated this group hug.

Ed & Dad

Back at the Round-Up

Jan with Doug and Christy.

While Ron & Lynda were tending Doug and Christy's kids

one time, Ron rescued Jan and her three kids when their van broke down in Denver.

They have a lot to talk about. 

 DeRay, Brent and Amy

 Jack, Judi, Karen and Clare

 Karen, Clare, DeRay, Ed, Ron & Lynda at the Roundup.

Caught and cooked for breakfast!

Brent mapped out a trail free from ATV dust. 

  

 

Meanwhile back at the Roundup, Amanda is first in the chow line on soup night.

 Elizabeth, Brooke, Ed, Amanda and others.

 Brigitte, Klarissa, Tristiana, Jack and Lynda

DeRay & Margo 

 Lucille, Marilyn, and Norm

 A good mixture.

 Karton and Amanda playing ping pong.

 Brooke, Klarissa, Karlton at the reunion breakfast.

 DeRay wondering where to sit.

Judi gave DeRay all these pills with this note. 

 Suckers are a tradition, both literally and figuratively. 

  The races.

Karlton ran in one race.

Our trackster, Klarissa wouldn't run with dogs and kids.

 Lucille, Bruce, Matt, Clare, Marilyn, etc.

Porter Thompson enjoying the dirt.
His brother, Anders, kept running races and bringing him prize cars.

 Brooke's family and Margo

  Lynda with her grandkids.

 Karen and Norm.

Traditionally, Karen and Norm have the biggest group at reunion - 40 or more.

This year not one of their posterity came.

A radical rest.
No one came in Marilyn's family either.
Other years, most have come at one time or another.
For the past few years,
Chad's family has met there to play games together.

 Karen said we should get a picture with the inlaws - the three brave enough to come.

DeRay, Jeanette, Karen, Norm, Lynda, Ron with Clare and Marilyn in front.

 DeRay, Karen, Ron, Clare, Marilyn at the Roundup for the last time.

 Uncle Robert's youngest son, Kenneth and his wife Tami.

Counting adopted kids, they are raising 15 total.

Tami delivered Elizabeth's first two children so they are close.

Brigitte got to hear all about her birth.

The two families went to the Ice Cave and Cascade Falls during the noon break.

 Briana Platt did an amazing job of getting a group picture.

 She also took family groups. Brent and Jan had left by now. Amy was back at the cabin.

 Clare's group minus Erik and family.

Goin' Home by Cedar Breaks 

  

Burned trees on both sides of the road from the fire last year. 

     Already some of the families have reservations for just their family for next year since they are used to gathering over July 4th week.  Karen, Norm and their families have reservations at Bear Lake; Clare and her family have two houses in Flagstaff.

     Not the same.

     After 75 years.