Samuel Franklin Putnam, Jr.

AIKEN - Samuel Franklin Putnam, Junior, 79, of Aiken, husband, for 51 years, of the Reverend Sally Thompson Putnam, died on Friday, March 8. 

He was born in Laurens, SC, the son of the Reverend Samuel Franklin Putnam, Sr., and Anice McPherson Putnam. He was a graduate of Eastman High School, Louisville, KY. He attended the University of Louisville where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. From the U of L he served in the United States Navy where he was proud to be a Hospital Corpsman. After an honorable discharge, Sam continued his education at Clemson University and attended Graduate School at the University of South Carolina, pursuing a Masters' Degree in Psychology. He worked as a Graduate Assistant at the State Hospital before moving to Aiken, where he began a 40 year career as a Director of Grants Management for the School District of Aiken County. He was a Board Member and Chairman of the Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center for many years and served on many state and national education associations. After his retirement he worked part time as a consultant with the SC State Department of Education, while pursuing his passion of hunting, fishing, reading, back seat driving, and reconnecting with relatives. 

In addition to his wife, Sam is survived by four children: Samuel F. Putnam, III, of Aiken; Sarah Scott Putnam Holloway, of Charleston; William Preston Putnam, Aiken; Elizabeth Ashley Putnam Evans, of Lake Wylie, SC.; granddaughters, Sarah Lucas, Lauren Putnam, Gabriella Evans, Quinci Evans, and Leah Putnam, also nephew Phillip Lee (Starr) Kinard and niece Cynthia Ann Lewis of Aiken as well as a number of great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Betty Ann Putnam and Barbara Putnam Kinard. 

Services will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 16, 2013 at St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, with a visitation and reception at the Stevenson McClellan Building immediately following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to York Place Children's Home, 234 Kings Mt. St., York, SC 29745 or to the charity of your choice. 

Please visit Mr. Putnam's online guest book at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com 

SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC