Roger Lowell Putnam, Jr.

Roger Lowell Putnam, Jr.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200596302/roger-lowell-putnam

Putnam, Jr, 96, of Wellfleet died on Thursday June 20th at his home. He was the husband of Jill (Schunick) Putnam.

Born and raised in Springfield, he was the second of six children born to the late Roger L. and Caroline (Jenkins) Putnam. At age 16, he got his pilot’s license while working for Grandville Brothers, an aircraft manufacturing company located in Springfield. Roger attended Harvard University, left to serve in the Army Air Corp during the war, then returned and graduated with both a BA and MBA. During the war, he trained glider pilots and flew A-20 and A-26 light bombers.

In 1949, Roger went to work for Package Machinery Company in East Longmeadow, starting as a milling machine operator, assembler, time study/ methods man, production manager, and V.P. of Manufacturing. He retired as President and C.E.O. in 1991. He held patents on vertical form fill and seal machinery, chewing gum packaging machinery and in injection molding processing.

Roger was active in the community. He was Director of the Springfield Museum of Science, Director then Chairman of the Springfield Library and Museums Association, and Director of Springfield YMCA. He also served on many corporate boards including Perkins Machine and Gear, the Springfield National Bank, and the Connecticut National Bank, to name but a few.

In 1991, he retired and moved to Wellfleet. Here, he became active in the community, serving on the Recreation Committee, Shellfish Advisory Board, Open Space Committee, Charter Review Committee, Cape Cod Commission, Wellfleet By-Law Review Committee, and the Zoning Board. He was elected to the School Committee, the Regional School Committee, the Wellfleet Board of Selectman, and the Cape Cod Assembly of Delegates. He was a member of the Cape Area Pilots Association.

In 2003, he and business partner Russ Kimball, started Race Point Aviation, in Provincetown. They flew sightseeing flights and taught many students to fly.

In 1948 he married Gertrude Watson Streeter and had three daughters. Gertrude and two of his daughters predeceased him. On Valentine's Day 1981, he married Jill Ellen Schunick. They had two children, Roger Putnam III and daughter Rebecca Putnam.

Roger was blessed with wit, intelligence, was tireless in service to others, and like to tell his many stories to friends. He was an avid reader, a crossword puzzle enthusiast, and had a green thumb. He was an excellent cook of duck breast, leg of lamb, turkey, loved good bacon, and appreciated fine wine and beer.

He was also a generous dispenser of dog treats for his canine friends & acquaintances

In addition to his wife Jill, he is survived by Roger Putnam III, and wife Robin of California, daughter Rebecca Putnam of Wellfleet and Oregon, daughter Elizabeth Currier of Florida and a grandson, Owen Putnam of California.