Obituary of Walter Putnam

Walter C. Putnam, Jr. of Columbia, born on March 19, 1924, unexpectedly passed away on July 27, 2011 while on vacation with his family at the Isle of Palms. Known as "Putt" or "Cleve" to friends, he grew up in the Shandon area of Columbia and attended Columbia city schools. He graduated from Dreher High School where he excelled in football, baseball, and track. Putt entered the University of South Carolina and played freshman football before entering the armed services in World War II. He served in Europe with an Engineer Combat Batallion attached to General Patton's 3rd Army. He received a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star for combat leadership, and five campaign Battle Stars, among other medals. After the war, he returned to USC and received a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in accounting. He was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. In January 1957, he joined Wilbur Smith and Associates where he worked for thirty-two years and retired as Executive Vice-President for Finance and member of the Board of Directors. During those years, he was active in the Kiwanis Club and enjoyed golf and social activities at Spring Valley Country Club, Wild Dunes Resort, and Woodlands Country Club. He traveled and took cruises to over thirty countries with Ruby, his wife of fifty-four years, who passed away in 2005. He loved raising tomatoes, playing golf, walking on the beach, watching hummingbirds, sharing a cocktail with friends and family, spending time with loved ones. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by one son, Walter C. Putnam, III, one daughter, Lisa G. Putnam, two granddaughters, Anna and Sarah, and one sister, Virginia P. Haas. A service for family and friends will be held at Bethel United Methodist Church, 4600 Daniel Drive, at 11:00 on Saturday, July 30. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Bethel Memorial Garden Fund, Epworth Children's Home or a charity of your choice.