Mrs. Irene F Pughsley

Irene Foggie Pughsley was born on Saturday, November 29, 1924 in Laurens, South Carolina to Daisy and Pinckney Foggie. Irene was the third youngest child of the nine Foggie children. She attended Sanders Elementary School and Sanders High School in Laurens, South Carolina. After graduation, she attended Benedict College, in Columbia, South Carolina. Irene taught school for a short time.

When Irene was a young girl, her mother passed away and her father and older sister cared for the remaining siblings in the home. Irene married Dr. Ralph Pughsley and from that union, three daughters were born: Brenda, Virginia and Ralphine. When the girls were still young, Irene and her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana where her husband attended pharmacy school at Xavier University. While there, Irene was an advertising manager at WMRY radio station. She then moved to Washington, D.C., where her older sister and two of her older brothers lived. She also spent time in White Plains, NY with another sister. In Washington, she obtained a Certified Nursing Degree and worked as a nurse at George Washington University Hospital. The final and most impactful stop on her career journey was at Howard University Office of Student Accountants, from which she would retire, as she always emphasized - early - in 1986.

After moving north, Irene changed her religious affiliation from Baptist to Catholic, and joined Immaculate Conception Church at 8th and N Streets, NW. Irene had been a faithful parishioner for over 50 years. She was a member of many church organizations, and served as president of the Sodality. One of her hobbies was sewing, a skill she learned from her beloved mother, and she designed and made many of her own and her daughter’s lovely outfits. She was definitely a beautiful fashion icon. Irene had a strong and confident personality, as she always remembered the words of her father, whom she adored: "no one is better than anyone else".

Irene is proceeded in death by: her parents Daisy and Pinckney Foggie; husband Ralph Pughsley; daughter Brenda Miller; siblings - Martha Ella, Erskin, Richard, Eugene, Ruth, Rosa Lee, Samuel, and Daisy. Irene leaves to mourn: her daughters, Virginia Wiggins, Ralphine Pughsley; two granddaughters: Cassandra Campbell and Abrielle Beaton; four grandsons: Ralph Miller, Kacy Wiggins, Kraal Wiggins and Isaiah Miller; three great granddaughters, Moriah Horrobin, Maya Emert-Wiggins, Sarah Wiggins; three great grandsons: Henry Paul Campbell, III, Myles Miller, Jack Anderson, ll, and Abbott Anderson; three great great grandchildren: Cassie Horrobin, Cecelia Horrobin, and Carter Campbell; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. When they were not visiting in person to play a hand or two of her favorite card game, Skip-Bo, she loved calling all of them to talk about her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, her family, sports, politics, current events, or to share a laugh or an encouraging word. We will missed her here on earth but we know she is peacefully resting in the place prepared for her in Heaven.

A visitation for Irene will be held Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Immaculate Conception Church, 1315 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 with a Funeral Mass to follow at 11:00 am.