To those who knew her, it was no secret that Dowagiac’s Karen Pugh had many passions: chief among them were the fine arts and giving back to the community.

With that in mind, perhaps there was no finer recipient for a donation made in her memory than the one selected by the 100 Women Who Care of Cass County earlier this month — The Beckwith Theatre Company.

The members of the local service organization overwhelming selected the nonprofit community theater as their charity of choice during their last meeting, which took place last week at the American Legion in Edwardsburg. The ladies pitched in more than $1,000 worth of donations, with more expected on the way, said 100 Women Who Care member Ordeana Sala.

The organization’s meeting was a bittersweet affair, as it was the first time they came together since Pugh’s death on Match 20. Pugh was a longtime member of the 100 Women Who Care group, which formed in late 2013.

Beckwith was the natural choice for the women to choose to place a donation to in honor of their former member and friend. In 1990, Pugh and her husband, Paul, started the downtown theater house. The couple was integral to its operation, serving as actors, directors, producers and even writers, Sala said.

“Without their support, we would not still be here,” said Rebecca Maxey, with the Beckwith Board of Directors.

Pugh’s passion for acting wasn’t just confined to the stage, though, as she also poured hours into research for historical reenactments of the Orphan Train’s arrival in Dowagiac. She and her husband also became known for their cemetery tours, where local actors would portray various figures buried at the city’s Riverside Cemetery.

“She was certainly a champion of the fine arts,” Maxey said.

Some of Maxey and Sala’s fondest memories of Pugh aren’t of her performances onstage or her insight behind the scenes, but of her spirit as a member of the audience, which she enjoyed just as much as participating in productions, Sala said.

“It was like her laugh had this energy too it that caused you  to laugh as well,” Sala said. “It was like she was saying ‘come on guys, let’s all enjoy the show.’”

Maxey said that the 100 Women Who Care’s donation will go toward general operations of the theater, including helping to pay for royalty costs and maintenance.

The next meeting of 100 Women Who Care will be in July, in Marcellus.