Lewis Putnam

Scotia- Lewis “Lew” G. Putnam, 85, of Palm Bay, FL, formerly of Scotia, died Sunday, January 7, 2018 at Anchor Care and Rehabilitation Center, where he had been a resident since July of 2015.

Lew was born December 13, 1932 in Batavia, NY and was the son of Austin and Hazel (King) Putnam.

He was a 1952 graduate of the former Scotia High School.  Lew proudly served in the New York National Guard, 27th Armored Division, for 9 years.  For many years, he was employed as the Service Manager of Arkley’s Firestone Auto Center in Scotia, until leaving to take a position at the Town of Glenville Highway Dept. as a heavy machine mechanic.  He held that position for 19 years until his retirement in 1992 due to ill health.

Lew was a Free and Accepted Mason for most of his life, with memberships in the Beukandaal Temple F.A.M. Lodge 915 since 1962, Scottish Rite of Schenectady since 1964, Oriental Temple of Troy since 1965, Schenectady Shrine Club, where he was Past President and a Potentate Aid, and Mount Miria of Cohoes.  He was also heavily involved with the former Beukandaal Baseball League as President, Treasurer, and Manager of the Beukandaal Lodge team for 8 years.  An avid woodworker, he was proprietor of “Knock on Wood” craft shop in Glenville, traveling throughout New York, Vermont and Massachusetts selling his wares.  Lew’s enthusiasm for ice cream is carried on by his children, grand and great-grandchildren.  He also loved to be involved with baseball and became a Little League Umpire traveling throughout the Capital District calling balls, strikes and outs.

He was predeceased by his former wife, Sheila Menhinick Putnam, who died in August of 1999, his son, Timothy, who died in April of 2017, his brother Gerald, and sisters, Jackie, Quida, and Beverly.

Lew is survived by his children: Leslie (Ronald) Wood of Rotterdam, Michael (Sherry) of Greensboro, NC, Richard (Janet) of Cobleskill, Lee Wade of Clifton Park, Lori (Gregory) Steese of Middleburg, FL and Tracey Smith of Glenville, 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, his brother-in-law, Paul (Joan) Menhinick of Glenville, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to a Masonic Service on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 4 PM with visitation to be held from 2 to 4 PM at the Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, 171 Elm Street, Cobleskill, NY 12043.  Private burial next to his mother will be in Hillside Cemetery, East Pembroke, NY.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made in memory of Lew to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Attn: Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.