Ann Pugh

Judge Ann Pugh (Marietta Ann Lucas Pugh) went to be with the Lord Jesus on February 23, 2016, after her battle with cancer.

She was born August 20, 1945, in Blytheville, and graduated with a bachelor's and a master's degree from Arkansas State University. While teaching with the Memphis City Schools, she attended and graduated from the Law School at Memphis State University, presently The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

She was pleased and proud that all six of the female law students that started law school together graduated together in 1975. With a long career in criminal justice, Ann served as a Public Defender and as a Prosecutor and was appointed as the first female judge in Shelby County in 1978 by Mayor Wyeth Chandler. In 1982, she was elected a General Sessions Criminal Court Judge and subsequently elected to three additional terms, retiring in 2010 after 32 years as a judge. Throughout her judicial career of many decades, she was actively involved with many organizations and elected to various leadership roles. Her service to the legal profession and to the community impacted many lives.

Retirement offered her a greater opportunity for traveling and spending time with family and friends, working in her flower garden, and helping meet the needs of others. This sincere desire to help others prompted her decision to donate her body for medical research. She was especially grateful and appreciative for those who provided such loving care and especially for the nurses and staff at hospice. With her commitment to education and her desire to help others with their education, she established the Judge Ann Pugh Memorial Scholarship at Arkansas State University and at The University of Memphis to assist students with their education.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Marie Maxwell, and step-father, Clarence Maxwell.

She is survived by her sister, Betty Ray;

Nephew, Todd (Marie) Ray;

Great-nephew, Jackson Ray, all of Jonesboro;

Sister, Elizabeth Joan (Sha) Ghosdi;

Nephew, Darius Ghosdi, of Chicago;

Aunts, Linda (Roger) Quin, of Washington, Ill., and Donna Humphrey of Peoria, Ill.; and

Uncle, Sonny Waddle, of Peoria.

In addition to her family, she leaves special friends she loved as her "Memphis family": Gary Holland, Judy Hardcastle, Clark and Faye Washington, Jackie, Travis, and Kiana Watkins, Ted and Katherine Boyer, the members of the Agape Life Group at Bellevue Baptist Church, and her loving 13 year old Shitzu "Max", who has a new home with Ted and Katherine Boyer.

A memorial service for Judge Ann Pugh is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at Bellevue Baptist Church, 2000 Appling Road, Cordova, TN 38018, with visitation from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. preceding the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Bellevue Baptist Church, P. O. Box 1210, Cordova, TN 38088-1210, or to the educational scholarships established by Judge Ann Pugh -- Judge Ann Pugh Memorial Scholarship, Arkansas State University, P. O. Box 1990, State University, AR 72467, or Judge Ann Pugh Memorial Scholarship, The University of Memphis, Dept. 238, The U of M Foundation, P. O. Box 1000, Memphis, TN 38148-0001.