William "Bill" Putman, Jr.
William "Bill" Putman, Jr., age 90, of Kadoka, South Dakota formerly of Las Cruces and Los Alamos, New Mexico, died on Monday, September 20, 2021 at his daughter's home in Kadoka surrounded by family.
William E. Putman Jr., age 90, loving husband, father, grandfather and great- grandfather went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, following a five-year battle with cancer, on Monday, September 20, 2021. He was born August 7, 1931, in Albion, Nebraska, the oldest of three children, to William E. Sr. and Marianne Putman.
As a child he loved to learn, hike the bluffs around Scottsbluff, play with his dog Tippy, go to church, make friends, and earn badges in the Boy Scouts. He became so dedicated to the Boy Scouts that he went on to become an Eagle Scout. In high school he enjoyed academics, playing football, basketball, and track. After high school he attended Scottsbluff Jr. college and he enjoyed being coached in football by his father. Bill was very proud of the fact that his father had attended a coaching clinic taught by the legendary Knut Rockne of Notre Dame where he learned many of the plays and coaching techniques that he used in his coaching.
Following Junior College, Bill enlisted in the United States Air Force (1953) where he served as a pilot of KC-97 refueler tankers stationed in New Hampshire, Alabama, New Mexico, and Greenland. As 1st Lieutenant he was part of the 509th Bomb Wing and has enjoyed many reunions through the years. He then attended the University of New Mexico studying Mechanical Engineering where he earned his Master’s degree. In his final discharge in 1966 from the U.S. Air Force he had earned his rank of Captain.
While serving his country he met his wife, Gloria Stone at a 4-H dance while on leave back home in Scottsbluff. They were happily married for over 50 years and enjoyed raising their children, participating in the Carnegians (serving as national president), Civitans, New Comers Club, watching high school and college sports and in retirement, touring in the States and Canada in their RV, and traveling to Hawaii, Israel, and Europe. Bill had a strong bass voice and he loved to sing in Barbershop Quartets.
Bill, after UNM, worked for ACF in Albuquerque, NM. While there, he was hired by Los Alamos National Lab in Los Alamos, NM, working for the Department of Energy of the United States during the cold war. He retired completely in 1995 and moved to Las Cruces, NM.
Bill never met a stranger, he was one of the friendliest, most personable people one would ever meet. He adored his Gloria Ann (“Liz”), his two daughters (Vicky and Shari), and ten grandchildren. Throughout his life he loved the church. When he was young, he would go with his family which carried over to his college, Airforce, family, and retirement years. He has served in many capacities in his local churches, the Gideons, sang in choirs, attended Bible studies, various men’s groups, clowns for Christ, and prayer groups. He knew that he was saved by grace because he had repented of his sin and believed that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he would go to live with Him forever. This truth gave him hope, a hope he lived out in his daily life.
Survivors include two daughters Vicky Downs of Las Cruces, NM and Shari (Jesse) Taylor of Kadoka; grandchildren: Billy (Karina) Downs of Las Cruces, NM, Rebekah Taylor of Philip, Rachel (Jackson) Malcolm of Westcliffe, CO, Ruth Taylor of Westcliffe, CO, Jerald William (Danielle) Taylor of Laramie, WY, Jeremiah Taylor of Westcliffe, CO, and Hudson, Joy, Annie, and Jason Taylor of Kadoka; three great-grandchildren; his sister, Jeri (John) Neely of Ft. Collins, CO; brother-in-law Ted Hollinger of Lincoln, NE, and four nephews: Chip Hollinger, Jim Hollinger, Andy Neely, and Neil Neely.
He was preceded in death by his wife Gloria Ann Putman on September 4, 2005, his parents William Sr. and Marianne Putman, and sister Shirlea Ann Hollinger.
As his mountains of mail will attest, Bill would be delighted to know that your memorial gifts were given to your favorite Pro-Life or Conservative causes.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, September 30, at the Presbyterian Church in Kadoka with Pastor Jesse Taylor officiating.
Interment with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, October 1, at the Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Arrangements are with Rush Funeral Home of Kadoka.
