Agnes Lenora Puga

Agnes Lenora Puga, age 92, of Littleton, Colorado, passed away Monday, January 26, 2026, following a short battle with esophageal cancer. Agnes was born on the family farm along the Republican River in Yuma County, Colorado on May 23, 1933, to the late William Joseph Scherrer and Helen Elizabeth (Mattingly) Scherrer. Agnes' childhood on the family farm in eastern Colorado during the years of the Great Depression and World War II instilled in her a lifetime commitment to family, her Catholic faith, honesty, integrity, and hard work, all traits that would sustain her through 92 years of life. Agnes was blessed with a keen intellect – often described by people as the smartest person they knew – a quick wit, clever sense of humor and beautiful smile.

Agnes was the youngest of nine children and was preceded in death by seven of her siblings and her son Gregory John.

Agnes attended Kirk High School, a small farming community high school in Kirk, Colorado, graduating as valedictorian in 1950. Agnes then attended Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) immediately following high school. While working at the Colorado State Hospital in Pueblo, Colorado, Agnes met the love of her life, Henry “Hank” Puga in the Spring of 1952. Agnes and Hank spent the rest of their lives together, including 71 years of marriage. Hank preceded Agnes in death a mere 19 days prior to her death. For nearly 74 years Agnes and Hank were inseparable, and the family takes comfort that they were so quickly together again for all eternity.

Agnes is survived by her six children and their spouses, Helen Marie, Anthony Henry (Nancy Morris), Lawrence Charles (Linda), Agnes Josephine (Mark Poole), James Edward (Karen Witt), Katherine Francis. Agnes is also survived by her older sister, Katherine Ann Bauer; as well as 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; innumerable nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Agnes was a dedicated employee with Coors Porcelain Company and Mercy Medical Center, retiring as a food service director from Mercy Medical Center. While working at Mercy Medical Center Agnes trained to become a travel agent and upon her retirement began working with Outrigger Hotels as a travel agent. Agnes loved her work with Outrigger Hotels because it combined two passions—meeting and helping people and travel. Agnes and Hank took the opportunity to extensively travel both the United States and world throughout her career as a travel agent and their retirement.

Agnes possessed an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, was a voracious reader, and an avid writer. Agnes participated in writing clubs for many years, with her stories published in the Saturday Evening Post and local newspapers. A native and lifelong resident of Colorado, Agnes was an avid sports fan and was particularly devoted to the Colorado Rockies because of, as she would often say, her love of baseball, not their winning ways. Agnes was a strong-willed and at times stoic woman who defeated lung cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer before sadly succumbing to esophageal cancer, her fourth such illness. Agnes approached all things in life with her clever wit, intelligence and sense of humor. Agnes approached everything with honesty and integrity and was extraordinarily well thought of by all who met her, most finding her the most reliable source of life wisdom that they knew.

Agnes was particularly proud and dedicated to her family. She was a devoted, loving, and caring mother to her seven children, always prepared to sacrifice herself for them. Agnes was a proud grandmother and great-grandmother and took great pride and joy in all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren's accomplishments and activities. Agnes was a devoted friend, always there to lend a hand as a volunteer, both at her church and, in later years, food bank and migrant worker organizations. Agnes was committed to fairness and equity for all, treated all equally and found the good in everyone. Agnes will be greatly missed by her family, friends, and anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting her.

Funeral Mass, Thursday, March 5, 2026, 11:00 am, Light of the World Catholic Church, 10306 West Bowles Ave., Littleton, CO 80127. Interment 1:00 pm, Fort Logan National Cemetery. Reception to follow interment from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. at The Bloom Room at The Hudson Gardens, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Agnes’s name to your local food bank or shelter.