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Keith D. Pugh Fort Worth, TX QCWA # 12600 Chapter 72 |
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ARISS Friends,
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of ARISS team member Keith Pugh, W5IU.
Keith spent his life on Earth as a true gentlemen serving others, enjoying friendship and relationships, and supporting his passions.amateur radio, flying and most importantly his love of God and all the great things on this Earth.
Those that knew Keith considered him a Texan through and through. But truth be told, he was born and raised in Dodge City, Kansas.
After college, he left Kansas and settled permanently in the Fort Worth, Texas area where picked up that Texas accent and welcomed us into his world. And it is in Texas where he passed away on May 24, 2019.
Active with AMSAT and Amateur Radio satellites since the 1980.s, Keith jump-started his passion for amateur radio on human spaceflight missions in 1991, when the Space Station Mir was in orbit and Soviet ham radio operators were talking to the world-wide amateur radio community. Keith helped install a Soviet Space Exhibit in Fort Worth in 1991 and he hosted Musa Manarov U2MIR.s visit to the USA. Ultimately, Keith joined the ARISS team in 2004, where he has provided support as one of our operations leaders, technical mentoring numerous schools and ARISS contact organizations and providing his warm friendship and guidance to all in our team. Keith also attended several of our ARISS International meetings, including our 2008 ARISS-I meeting in Moscow and Kaluga.
Many of us were aware of Keith.s cancer. But, Keith being Keith, he kept most of his pain and suffering to himself. He remained joyful and humble until his death. In fact, just a few days before his death--this past Tuesday, Keith signed into the ARISS International teleconference, apologizing that he came in late. None of us knew this would be our last dialog with such a close friend and outstanding member of our team.
As I stated, one of Keith.s passions was flying as a private pilot. In fact for one of his vacations he flew a Cessna aircraft around Australia. As a fellow pilot, I know that Keith must have been an avid fan of the poem .High Flight. written by John Gillespie Magee Jr. Paraphrasing this poem:
While we mourn the loss of our good friend, Keith Pugh, let us joyfully reflect on the fact that Keith has
Slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Topped the windswept heights with easy grace
And, while with silent lifting mind, Keith has trod
The high unsurpassed sanctity of Space,
Put out his hand and touched the face of God.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Keith Pugh, W5IU SK as he touches the face of God.
73, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO
ISS Ham Radio Program Manager & PI
ARISS International Chair
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
About ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.
Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status
QCWA Bio:
Keith was born and raised in Dodge City, Kansas, and became a licensed Amateur Radio Operator between his Freshman and Sophomore years in High School in 1953. Amateur Radio strongly influenced his decision to pursue a career in Electrical Engineering. After completing a BS in Electrical Engineering degree at Kansas State University, he went to work for Convair (later General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin) in Fort Worth, TX. After a long career in RADAR and Navigtion Systems Engineering, he retired from Lockheed Martin in 2004.
In the early 1980s, he became interested in Amateur Radio Satellites. First contacts were on AO-08 and AO-10. He has served as an AMSAT Area Coordinator since the mid .80.s. His first association with manned satellites came from participation in the Soviet Space Exhibit held in Fort Worth in 1991. As a part of this exhibit, regular contacts with Cosmonauts on board the Space Station MIR were conducted. This eventually led to an interest in the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program where he has been an ARISS School Mentor since 2004.
Keith joined QCWA as soon as he was eligible. He belongs to several other clubs. Other interests are Public Service Work, Church, casual DX, weak signal VHF/UHF and Microwave.
From Val, W5PUT
It is with great sadness that I must relay the news that our long time QCWA Member W5IU has become a silent key.
Keith D. Pugh was found this morning at his home where he appeared to have passed away over night. No information on services have been announced at this time.
Keith will be remembered for his years of service to Fort Worth / Tarrant County RACES, as a spotter, active member, long time Communications chairman for the Cowtown Marathon and a Member of the Quarter Century Wireless Assn. Chapter 73.
He was very active in the AMSAT program and the program to allow school children to talk to the astronauts on the International Space Station. Keith worked for Lockheed/ Martin for many years as an engineer. He was a private pilot, having formerly owned and flown a V-Tail Beech Bonanza. He was very active in his church when not volunteering for amateur radio.
We will miss his willingness to help and mentor new hams, his advice as a long time leader of multiple ham radio clubs, and his smile.
Val L. Erwin
W5PUT
From Bob, NØUF
Keith wrote an AMSAT column for the QCWA Journal for a number of years.
