June Renee Pugh

June Renee Pugh, age 73, peacefully entered eternal rest on February 3, 2026, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

June was born on December 25, 1952, in Kansas City, Kansas, to the late Willie Pugh and Dorothy Pugh, and was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. At an early age, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized at Second Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Roy A. Reed. She remained a faithful servant of God throughout her life, actively involved in numerous ministries and committed to living out her faith wherever she was called.

June was educated in the Kansas City, Missouri Public School System and graduated from Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1971. She continued her education at Tennessee State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 1976. Demonstrating her lifelong love of learning, she later earned a Master’s degree from the University of San Antonio, Texas, in 2017. Early in her professional life, June worked for the Kansas City Department of Corrections from 1977 to 1986. During the latter part of that tenure, she also began her military service, serving simultaneously in the United States Army Reserves from 1984 to 1986, before transitioning into full-time active-duty service.

In 1984, June answered the call to serve her country full time by joining the United States Army, embarking on a distinguished military career that spanned 28 years, from 1984 until her retirement in 2012. She began her service in the Army Reserves and later served on active duty, specializing in Logistics (Supply)—a critical field essential to mission readiness and operational success. Her service included numerous assignments on both foreign and American soil, each lasting three years or more. Internationally, she was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, for three years; Kaiserslautern, Germany, for six years; and also served in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Her stateside assignments included Tacoma, Washington; Killeen and El Paso, Texas; and Oahu, Hawaii. June served in two major conflicts: the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq in 2003.

For her exemplary service and leadership, June received numerous military honors, including the Bronze Star, Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the prestigious Legion of Merit. In 2012, she retired from the United States Army with the rank of Sergeant Major, a distinction achieved by only one percent of women in the military. Her retirement certificate was proudly signed by the nation’s first Black president, Barack Obama. June was the only sibling to serve in the armed forces, paving the way for a niece and several nephews who later followed her example of military service and sacrifice.

After retiring from the military, June continued her life of service through education from 2017 to 2023, teaching college-level English as a Second Language (ESL) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and UNAM in San Antonio, Texas.

Throughout her travels, June united with a local church wherever she lived and remained actively involved in ministry. Her life was a powerful testimony of faithful service—to her country, her community, and above all, to the Lord.

June was preceded in death by her father, Willie Pugh; her sister, Phyllis Garnett; and her son, Antoinne Jones.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving son, Justin Sullivan (Melissa) of Kansas City, Missouri; her beloved grandchildren, Dalien Turner of Savannah, Georgia; Analyese Buggs-Jones of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Mikelle Sullivan and Avery Sullivan, both of Kansas City, Missouri; her devoted mother, Dorothy Pugh of Kansas City, Missouri; her sisters, Teresa Taylor (Ron) of Overland Park, Kansas; Sharon Pugh of Kansas City, Missouri; Cynthia Pugh of Anna, Texas; and Lisa McArthur (Douglas) of Kansas City, Missouri; her aunt, Mary Jones (Artis) of Kansas City, Missouri; along with a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends.

June’s legacy of faith, leadership, discipline, and love will continue to live on in all whose lives she touched.

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