Ben Leighton Pugh passed away October 7, 2010 at Burlington Manor. He was born on April 6, 1917. That year, the United States of America was involved in the First World War. Little did his farm parents dream that their first born and only son would one day serve in the U. S. Army during another World War years later.
Ben grew up on a farm where all family members worked together. Ben's parents provided for their growing family even during the Great Depression years of the late 1920s and 1930s with home-raised food.
After graduating from Eli Whitney High School in 1935, he left the family farm in Snow Camp and moved to Greensboro. He lived with his Uncle Charlie Braxton and worked at his uncle's service station. Later he worked at Mojud Hosiery learning to knit as the textile industry thrived in the South. He continued hosiery work in Asheboro at Bosong Hosiery Mill. Areas around Greensboro, Liberty, Asheboro, and Burlington were then considered "hosiery centers" of the South. When a second European war seemed inevitable, he worked in the defense industry at Newport News, Virginia and the shipyards in Wilmington, North Carolina.
In November 1943, Ben entered the Army. He received basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, and was assigned to the 1142nd Engineer Combat Group. The bond established between members of the 1142nd remains very strong today. These friendships were most important to Ben. The 1142nd performed essential duties crucial to the success of the movement of U. S. land forces across Central Europe.Ben received two Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
Ben was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and returned home to resume work in the hosiery industry, eventually becoming part owner in a mill in Burlington. That venture lasted eight years. Changes were occurring in the industry. The popularity of panty hose overshadowed traditional stockings. Rather than refit his mill to produce panty hose, the business was dissolved.
His next career phase was in the automobile industry as a car salesman. After four years selling cars, his entrepreneur spirit led him to a new venture in the clothing business. He bought a van and became a middle-man for buying and selling clothing for twelve years. Extremely good with figures and business in general, his clothing business was quite successful until he retired at the age 65. However, Ben never actually retired, that is until he reached the age of 89. During his "retirement", he drove cars for local car dealerships in Graham.
Ben lived a long and productive life for all his 93 years. Just a couple of weeks to his passing, he attended the annual Braxton family reunion at South Fork Friends Church. Earlier this summer, he hosted the annual gathering of 1142nd service men. In April, he participated in the Triad Flight of Honor, traveling to Washington, DC with other WWII veterans for Recognition of military service and to tour war memorials.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie Clyde Pugh and Mabel Braxton Pugh, and by his only child, a daughter, Betty Pugh Young.
Ben leaves behind his loving family of friends at Burlington Manor and many other friends who faithfully visited him. He is survived by his wife, Hazel McDill Pugh of Graham and three grandchildren. He is greatly loved and will be missed by his surviving sisters, Isabel Pugh Morrow of Mebane, Frances Pugh Payne of Burlington, June Pugh Carey of Greensboro, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be conducted at the Rich & Thompson Chapel in Graham on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. James L. Florence with burial at South Fork Friends Meeting where he is a birthright member.
The family will receive friends at the Rich & Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory in Graham on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service.
The family wishes to express a heartfelt gratitude to Burlington Manor personnel who have shown much love and kindness. That gratitude also extends to Hospice employees for their tender, loving care.
Memorials in his honor may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.
Ben grew up on a farm where all family members worked together. Ben's parents provided for their growing family even during the Great Depression years of the late 1920s and 1930s with home-raised food.
After graduating from Eli Whitney High School in 1935, he left the family farm in Snow Camp and moved to Greensboro. He lived with his Uncle Charlie Braxton and worked at his uncle's service station. Later he worked at Mojud Hosiery learning to knit as the textile industry thrived in the South. He continued hosiery work in Asheboro at Bosong Hosiery Mill. Areas around Greensboro, Liberty, Asheboro, and Burlington were then considered "hosiery centers" of the South. When a second European war seemed inevitable, he worked in the defense industry at Newport News, Virginia and the shipyards in Wilmington, North Carolina.
In November 1943, Ben entered the Army. He received basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, and was assigned to the 1142nd Engineer Combat Group. The bond established between members of the 1142nd remains very strong today. These friendships were most important to Ben. The 1142nd performed essential duties crucial to the success of the movement of U. S. land forces across Central Europe.Ben received two Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
Ben was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and returned home to resume work in the hosiery industry, eventually becoming part owner in a mill in Burlington. That venture lasted eight years. Changes were occurring in the industry. The popularity of panty hose overshadowed traditional stockings. Rather than refit his mill to produce panty hose, the business was dissolved.
His next career phase was in the automobile industry as a car salesman. After four years selling cars, his entrepreneur spirit led him to a new venture in the clothing business. He bought a van and became a middle-man for buying and selling clothing for twelve years. Extremely good with figures and business in general, his clothing business was quite successful until he retired at the age 65. However, Ben never actually retired, that is until he reached the age of 89. During his "retirement", he drove cars for local car dealerships in Graham.
Ben lived a long and productive life for all his 93 years. Just a couple of weeks to his passing, he attended the annual Braxton family reunion at South Fork Friends Church. Earlier this summer, he hosted the annual gathering of 1142nd service men. In April, he participated in the Triad Flight of Honor, traveling to Washington, DC with other WWII veterans for Recognition of military service and to tour war memorials.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie Clyde Pugh and Mabel Braxton Pugh, and by his only child, a daughter, Betty Pugh Young.
Ben leaves behind his loving family of friends at Burlington Manor and many other friends who faithfully visited him. He is survived by his wife, Hazel McDill Pugh of Graham and three grandchildren. He is greatly loved and will be missed by his surviving sisters, Isabel Pugh Morrow of Mebane, Frances Pugh Payne of Burlington, June Pugh Carey of Greensboro, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be conducted at the Rich & Thompson Chapel in Graham on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. James L. Florence with burial at South Fork Friends Meeting where he is a birthright member.
The family will receive friends at the Rich & Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory in Graham on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service.
The family wishes to express a heartfelt gratitude to Burlington Manor personnel who have shown much love and kindness. That gratitude also extends to Hospice employees for their tender, loving care.
Memorials in his honor may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.
Ben Leighton Pugh passed away October 7, 2010 at Burlington Manor. He was born on April 6, 1917. That year, the United States of America was involved in the First World War. Little did his farm parents dream that their first born and only son would one day serve in the U. S. Army during another World War years later.
Ben grew up on a farm where all family members worked together. Ben's parents provided for their growing family even during the Great Depression years of the late 1920s and 1930s with home-raised food.
After graduating from Eli Whitney High School in 1935, he left the family farm in Snow Camp and moved to Greensboro. He lived with his Uncle Charlie Braxton and worked at his uncle's service station. Later he worked at Mojud Hosiery learning to knit as the textile industry thrived in the South. He continued hosiery work in Asheboro at Bosong Hosiery Mill. Areas around Greensboro, Liberty, Asheboro, and Burlington were then considered "hosiery centers" of the South. When a second European war seemed inevitable, he worked in the defense industry at Newport News, Virginia and the shipyards in Wilmington, North Carolina.
In November 1943, Ben entered the Army. He received basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, and was assigned to the 1142nd Engineer Combat Group. The bond established between members of the 1142nd remains very strong today. These friendships were most important to Ben. The 1142nd performed essential duties crucial to the success of the movement of U. S. land forces across Central Europe.Ben received two Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
Ben was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and returned home to resume work in the hosiery industry, eventually becoming part owner in a mill in Burlington. That venture lasted eight years. Changes were occurring in the industry. The popularity of panty hose overshadowed traditional stockings. Rather than refit his mill to produce panty hose, the business was dissolved.
His next career phase was in the automobile industry as a car salesman. After four years selling cars, his entrepreneur spirit led him to a new venture in the clothing business. He bought a van and became a middle-man for buying and selling clothing for twelve years. Extremely good with figures and business in general, his clothing business was quite successful until he retired at the age 65. However, Ben never actually retired, that is until he reached the age of 89. During his "retirement", he drove cars for local car dealerships in Graham.
Ben lived a long and productive life for all his 93 years. Just a couple of weeks to his passing, he attended the annual Braxton family reunion at South Fork Friends Church. Earlier this summer, he hosted the annual gathering of 1142nd service men. In April, he participated in the Triad Flight of Honor, traveling to Washington, DC with other WWII veterans for Recognition of military service and to tour war memorials.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie Clyde Pugh and Mabel Braxton Pugh, and by his only child, a daughter, Betty Pugh Young.
Ben leaves behind his loving family of friends at Burlington Manor and many other friends who faithfully visited him. He is survived by his wife, Hazel McDill Pugh of Graham and three grandchildren. He is greatly loved and will be missed by his surviving sisters, Isabel Pugh Morrow of Mebane, Frances Pugh Payne of Burlington, June Pugh Carey of Greensboro, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be conducted at the Rich & Thompson Chapel in Graham on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. James L. Florence with burial at South Fork Friends Meeting where he is a birthright member.
The family will receive friends at the Rich & Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory in Graham on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service.
The family wishes to express a heartfelt gratitude to Burlington Manor personnel who have shown much love and kindness. That gratitude also extends to Hospice employees for their tender, loving care.
Memorials in his honor may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.
Ben grew up on a farm where all family members worked together. Ben's parents provided for their growing family even during the Great Depression years of the late 1920s and 1930s with home-raised food.
After graduating from Eli Whitney High School in 1935, he left the family farm in Snow Camp and moved to Greensboro. He lived with his Uncle Charlie Braxton and worked at his uncle's service station. Later he worked at Mojud Hosiery learning to knit as the textile industry thrived in the South. He continued hosiery work in Asheboro at Bosong Hosiery Mill. Areas around Greensboro, Liberty, Asheboro, and Burlington were then considered "hosiery centers" of the South. When a second European war seemed inevitable, he worked in the defense industry at Newport News, Virginia and the shipyards in Wilmington, North Carolina.
In November 1943, Ben entered the Army. He received basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, and was assigned to the 1142nd Engineer Combat Group. The bond established between members of the 1142nd remains very strong today. These friendships were most important to Ben. The 1142nd performed essential duties crucial to the success of the movement of U. S. land forces across Central Europe.Ben received two Bronze Service Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
Ben was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and returned home to resume work in the hosiery industry, eventually becoming part owner in a mill in Burlington. That venture lasted eight years. Changes were occurring in the industry. The popularity of panty hose overshadowed traditional stockings. Rather than refit his mill to produce panty hose, the business was dissolved.
His next career phase was in the automobile industry as a car salesman. After four years selling cars, his entrepreneur spirit led him to a new venture in the clothing business. He bought a van and became a middle-man for buying and selling clothing for twelve years. Extremely good with figures and business in general, his clothing business was quite successful until he retired at the age 65. However, Ben never actually retired, that is until he reached the age of 89. During his "retirement", he drove cars for local car dealerships in Graham.
Ben lived a long and productive life for all his 93 years. Just a couple of weeks to his passing, he attended the annual Braxton family reunion at South Fork Friends Church. Earlier this summer, he hosted the annual gathering of 1142nd service men. In April, he participated in the Triad Flight of Honor, traveling to Washington, DC with other WWII veterans for Recognition of military service and to tour war memorials.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie Clyde Pugh and Mabel Braxton Pugh, and by his only child, a daughter, Betty Pugh Young.
Ben leaves behind his loving family of friends at Burlington Manor and many other friends who faithfully visited him. He is survived by his wife, Hazel McDill Pugh of Graham and three grandchildren. He is greatly loved and will be missed by his surviving sisters, Isabel Pugh Morrow of Mebane, Frances Pugh Payne of Burlington, June Pugh Carey of Greensboro, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be conducted at the Rich & Thompson Chapel in Graham on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. James L. Florence with burial at South Fork Friends Meeting where he is a birthright member.
The family will receive friends at the Rich & Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory in Graham on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service.
The family wishes to express a heartfelt gratitude to Burlington Manor personnel who have shown much love and kindness. That gratitude also extends to Hospice employees for their tender, loving care.
Memorials in his honor may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.
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