EVANS, GA – Funeral service to celebrate the life of Minister Maria Alma Allen Pugh, 79, will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2017, at 11:30 at Sanders Creek Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, October 20, 2017, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Powers Funeral Home located at 832 Ridgeway Road, Lugoff, SC 29078. In memory, gifts can be made in her name to Georgia Cancer Center, 1410 Laney Walker Blvd, Augusta, GA. 30912 or Sanders Creek Baptist Church, 520 Nelson Street, Camden, S.C. 29020 or Oakey Grove Baptist Church, 911 North Belair Road, Evans, Ga 30809. Minister Pugh went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Born in Camden, S.C., she was the daughter of the late Walter Allen Sr. and Rev. T.D. Patterson Allen. She received her degree in Early Childhood Education at Passaic County Community College and was on the Dean’s List. Minister Pugh attended Seton Hall and Rutgers University and taught in the Paterson Public School system at The Community Baptist Church of Love Preschool Program and St. Joseph Child Care Program. Her long career in helping children extended to the YMCA After School Programs in Anne Arundel County, MD and Harris County, GA. Minister Pugh was a successful educator and a community activist. As the Director of Christopher Columbus Family Residence Program, she successfully developed and implemented many beneficial educational, employment and recreational programs and received a congressional grant to fund a youth camp. As a leader in her community, she was a Girl Scout Leader and was the President of the Paterson Community Health Center Board of Directors. Minister Pugh dedication to her community and church resulted in a Proclamation from the City of Paterson, the Mayor's award for outstanding Citizen and a Citation from the City of Paterson City Council for outstanding Civic Contributions. One of Minister’s Pugh Motto was “Let Your Work Speak for You.” In 2002, Minister Pugh was ordained in Patterson, NJ. She served on many church committees and ministries such as Superintendent of Sunday School, Usher Board, and Outreach ministries. She wrote and directed many Christmas and Easter plays and programs in a grand scale to include a live baby Jesus. She was a faithful member of Shiloh Baptist Church under Pastor Alfred Blakely and became an evangelist at the Mission of Grace Baptist Church. Minister Pugh retired from the city of Paterson to serve in a different capacity to assist her oldest daughter who was in the armed forces to assist and raise her grandchildren. During this time she was an active member of Sanders Creek Baptist Church, Dr. P.L. Griffin Camden, SC and Oakey Grove Baptist Church, Pastor Rex E. Wright, Evans, GA. Minister Pugh enjoyed playing the piano, sewing, cooking, studying and teaching God’s Word, word find puzzles, Bidwist (BidWiz), entertaining and loving on her family and friends. The best term to describe her life was a life of servitude (God, Family, Church, and Community). She is survived by her children, Placidia “Cid” Allen (Clark), Terrell Toombs, and Charlita Rogers; grandchildren, Ashli Nikol Clark, Amani Miriah Clark, Chanice Lovely Brewer, Akina Nyima Clark, Darriel Maria Smith, Handsome Nazeer Gray, Noah Andrews and Aniya Hyatt; great-granddaughter, Aubrey Nikol Wills. She is also survived by her siblings, Rev. Walter Allen Jr., Robert Allen, Edward Allen, Hattie Allen (Lewis), Jimmie Allen, Jessie Allen Hardy and Eva Bell Allen and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was predeceased by siblings, William “Bill” Allen, David Allen, and Carolyn Williams.