Paul Bass Photo
Jennifer Pugh leading a session in the Emergency Operations Center during a 2014 storm.
Jennifer Pugh, a hard-working, trusted and beloved city official, died Dec. 8 at the age of 65 after a long bout with leukemia.
She died surrounded by family at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford.
Jennifer was the longest serving deputy chief administrative officer for the City of New Haven, from 1998 to her retirement in 2017, someone known for always doing the job and working well with people without seeking the spotlight or losing her head. In her job she helped oversee emergency responses to snowstorms or flooding along with day-to-day management of front-line departments. She was a true public servant as well as tireless civic volunteer and leader.
Prior to that hobs she held positions as operations manager for the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority in Hartford , deputy director of New Haven government’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Development (the precursor to the Livable City Initiative), property management and real estates sales person for Salisbury Properties, Inc. and William Raveis Company. She held a variety of increasingly responsible administrative positions with the Regional Planning Agency of South Central Connecticut, New Redevelopment Agency, and the City of New Haven Development Administration.
Jen was born in Montclair, N.J. and graduated from Montclair High School, where she earned the Owl Pin for exceptional service rendered to the school. She went on to attend Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Urban Studies.
After moving to New Haven, Jen earned a Master’s degree in Corporate and Political Communications from Fairfield University, Fairfield.
Jen joined United Church on the Green in 1981. She held virtually every office of the church in her years as a member, including Moderator (twice); Treasurer; Deacon; member of the Search Committee; Chair of Outreach; Chair of Social Mission; Chair of the Children and Youth Committee and most recently Assistant Treasurer, Finance Committee, and member of the New Church Coordinating Team. On Dec. 2, 2017, the church honored Jen, as a “Pillar of our Church” by dedicating the first new “Shine the Light” sanctuary window on the North Side of the Meeting House in her honor.
Jen was active in her community and served as a board member for the Mutual Housing Association of South Central CT; Chair of the Regional Property Management Committee; and board member of Christian Community Action. She was recognized by many organizations for her support, including the New Haven Road Race and NeighborWorks New Horizons. She received the Mustard Seed Award from the Downtown Cooperative Ministry Inc.for her work with them. Jen’s many contributions to the spiritual and civic life of New Haven earned her innumerable devoted friends and colleagues throughout the New Haven Community by whom she will be missed and remembered.
Jen is survived by her parents Thomas and Elizabeth (Campbell) Pugh of Guilford, CT; Elizabeth Pugh of Bloomfield, N.J.; and Kerry C. Pugh Alexander and her husband Glenn Alexander of Harvard, MA. A memorial service to celebrate the life of this remarkable woman will be held Jan. 6, 11 a.m. at the United Church on the Green. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Christian Community Action Group, an ecumenical social service organization that provides help, housing, and hope to under served people in New Haven. Their website is www.ccahelping.org. To sign the online guestbook please visit hawleylincolnmemorial.com.
Jennifer was an exceptional City servant and person. Always quietly in the background getting the job done, she was a pleasure to work with. Her work for the City defined competence.