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Janet Spink Putnam Licensed Funeral Director
Janet is a third generation Funeral Director. She was born in Allegheny, NY and grew up in Wellsboro, PA. She is the daughter of the late Joseph C. Spink and the late Noreen Donnellan Spink. She has four siblings, Linda West of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, Kevin Spink of Eagle River, Alaska, Dr. Damon Spink of Silverton, Oregon, and Karen Donnelly of Roseboom, New York. Janet first received her Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Services from the former Mansfield State College in 1982. She then went on to receive her Associates degree in Mortuary Science from Hudson Valley Community College, Troy NY in 1985. Wife of Richard and mother of Austin (Laura Fitzpatrick) and Cassie (Brendan Killian) and Gigi to Odin Richard Fitzpatrick Putnam, Soren Carter Fitzpatrick Putnam and Fallon Ki Killian. They have resided in Cobleskill, NY since purchasing Mereness Funeral Home from previous owner, Mr. Oliver Mereness in 1990.
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Richard Putnam Licensed Funeral Director
Richard is a first generation Funeral Director. He was born in Scotia, New York and is the son of the late Lewis Putnam, most recently of Palm Bay, Florida and the late Sheila (Menhinick) Putnam, most recently of Scotia, New York. He has six siblings, Leslie (Ronald) Wood of Rotterdam, NY, Michael (Sherry) Putnam of Greensboro, NC, Lee Wade of Rotterdam, NY, Lori (Gregory) Steese of Middleburg, FL and Tracey Smith of Glenville, NY, and a brother, Timothy, who died in April of 2017. He became a licensed Funeral Director in 2000 after graduating from the Mortuary Science Program at Hudson Valley Community College located in Troy, NY. He is the husband of Janet Spink Putnam, and father of Austin (Laura Fitzpatrick) Putnam and Cassandra (Brendan Killian). He is also Papa to Odin Richard Fitzpatrick Putnam, Soren Carter Fitzpatrick Putnam and Fallon Ki Killian.
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Nicole Barber Licensed Funeral Director
Nicole is a second generation Funeral Director, proudly following in her maternal grandfather's footsteps. She was born in Herkimer and grew up in Fort Plain, NY. Nicole is the daughter of Ron and Eileen (Hayes) Kretser. She has 2 sisters; Sheena Kretser of Fort Plain and Savannah (Dan) Johnson of Cobleskill.
Though Nicole always felt her true calling was within the funeral service industry, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Philosophy from SUNY Cortland in 2005. Ultimately, and with the encouragement and support of her loving family, Nicole pursued a degree in Mortuary Sciences from Hudson Valley Community College and obtained her Associate in Applied Sciences in 2016. Nicole resides with her husband, Charles Barber; daughter, Ziva; and son, Asher. Though Nicole is a new face to the community in Cobleskill, she brings several years of experience from her previous employment at another local funeral home in the Upstate New York area. She is delighted to have found her place at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home as a licensed Funeral Director alongside Janet and Richard, and is dedicated to ensuring their rich history of 'serving every family as our own' continues on.