Kathleen Jeppesen Pugh, age 55, of Rexburg Idaho, passed away on June 11, 2014 in Rexburg, Idaho, after a long struggle with an intestinal illness. Kathy was born Oct. 7th, 1958 in Rexburg Idaho to Jack and Elva Jeppesen. She grew up on 5th South in Rexburg, where she was the youngest of five daughters and dreamed of being a nurse someday.

Kathy met Bert Pugh while he was serving in the Navy at the Idaho National Laboratories. They were married on April, 10th 1982 and immediately moved to Washington state where he adopted her two children Andrea & Anthony. Serving as a Navy wife, Kathy came to know the expectations and traditions of the United States Navy. She raised her kids by herself while her husband was out at sea and then managed to readjust to having him home when he would return. She became familiar with all the ships, their missions, and their schedules. She was part of a network of navy wives that bonded together to help each other during times of crisis.

Kathy and her family moved to San Diego California, where she worked at odd jobs and went to school to obtained her high school diploma. After moving to Windsor Missouri, for a year she moved back to Bremerton Washington where she worked as a nurse's aid until graduating from nursing school. While in nursing school she found out she was pregnant with her second daughter Jessica. A year and a half after Jessica's arrival she had her third daughter Brittany, two years later she had a son Joseph. Kathy loved working as a nurse. She brightened the days of those around her with her love for her patient.

In the spring of 2000 Kathy and her family moved back to Idaho to help take care of her parents. Her husband had retired from the Navy. Kathy enjoyed riding horses, camping, cooking, sewing and doing crafts. She loved having her children home for Sunday dinner as a family.

Kathy is preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her husband of 32 years and her five children, and sisters Frances Hamblin, Jackie McCleary, Sherry Holman and Carol Jeppesen and her grandchildren Dylan, Kenyatta, Kayleigh, and Jaymeson.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg. The family will receive friends Monday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to services, at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery.