Richard David Putnam

Richard David Putnam (Dick) passed peacefully on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the age of 95. Richard was born October 17, 1928 in Northampton, Massachusetts to Ervin E. Putnam and Mary G. (Connelly) Putnam. After graduating from Northampton High School, Dick enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1947 where he spent three years, including 15 months in the Pacific. He was called up from the inactive reserves to serve with the Second Marine Air Wing during the Korean War as a radar technician. Richard was honorably discharged in 1950 and again from the reserves in 1954. On September 11, 1954, Richard married Virginia Ann Childs. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and a Master’s Degree in Forestry from Yale University in 1956. Dick devoted the majority of his career to the Borden Chemical Company in New York and Ohio retiring in 1992 as the Director of Sales and Marketing, Forest Products Adhesives and Resins for the United States with responsibilities internationally in Europe and Asia.

Dick was a man of the outdoors. Growing up, he loved spending his summers with his brother, Bob, and cousins at the family cottage in Northern Maine on Drew’s Lake. Dick’s father was a Maine Guide who inspired in his sons a love for hunting and fishing, trees, and the rugged beauty of nature. Dick continued these traditions with his own family fostering a love for the outdoors, the lake, the woods, the camp, self-reliance, and hard work.

Dick’s hobbies outdoors included sports such as skiing, golfing, jogging, and swimming. Indoor hobbies included running an in-home ski shop (Put’s Hut), fly-tying, vintage weapon building, model ship building, building electronic kits (radios, computers), stamp collecting, coin collecting, and wine making. He was an avid reader and loved poetry. However, his most surprising endeavor was his post-retirement foray into oil painting. He became quite accomplished as a painter; his paintings, hanging in the homes of family and friends, are much admired and demonstrate an amazing talent.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, his son, Richard D. Putnam, Jr., and his brother, Robert E. Putnam. Richard is survived by three children: Kathleen (Dean) Grinch, Carol (Mark) Truini, and Michael (Theresa) Putnam and his daughter-in-law Debra Putnam. He leaves seven grandchildren: Stuart and Virginia Grinch, Michael (Abigail) Putnam, Ryan (Tovah) Truini, Chad (Jackie) Truini, Ashley (Matthew) Hofacre, and Rachel Putnam. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren with a seventh on the way: Livia and Gabrielle Truini, Theodore and Lorelei Putnam, and Rory and Nora Truini as well as several nieces, nephews, and English cousins.

A Mass of Christian Burial, officiated by Father James Black, will be held on Monday, June 10, 2024 at 11:00 AM at St. Brigid of Kildare Church, 7179 Avery Rd., Dublin, Ohio 43017 with a luncheon to follow. A burial service will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Houlton, Maine at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Richard’s memory to:

Look Park (300 N Main Street, Florence, MA 01062; 413-584-5457; https://www.lookpark.org)

The Dawes Arboretum (7770 Jacksontown Rd., Newark, OH 43056; 740-323-2355; https://dawesarb.org)

Children’s Heart Foundation (5 Revere Dr. Suite 200, Northbrook, IL 60062; 847-634-6474; https://www.childrensheartfoundation.org)

Arrangements entrusted to Schoedinger Dublin, Ohio and Dunn Funeral Home in Houlton, Maine.