BRAINTREE - William Edward Putnam III of Braintree died Saturday, May 30 at Royal Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Braintree. He was 98.
He was the father of Eleanor Symons of Beckingham, Kent, England, William Putnam IV of Vallejo, CA, Francis Putnam of Oahu HA, and Vivian Attermeyer of Falls Church, VA (by his first wife, the late Eleanor Peach Putnam of Sharon), and, by his second wife, the late Ruth Nixon Putnam of Quincy, John Putnam of Randolph and Matthew Putnam of Bridgewater. He is also survived by grandchildren Naheelah Coffey, Eric, Ingrid and Lynn Attermeyer, William Putnam, Jonathan Putnam, Eva and Ethan Putnam, and four great-grandchildren.
Mr. Putnam was born in Chestnut Hill in 1910, to Boston architect William Putnam, Jr. and Helen Putnam, both deceased. He had one brother, Jerome, who died in infancy.
He attended the Rivers Boys School in Brookline, which had “open-air” classrooms. He graduated Harvard College with a degree in psychology in 1932, and Harvard Business School in 1935 with an MBA in accounting. Gifted with prodigious intelligence, he had a lifelong intellectual curiosity and love of learning.
During World War II, he was a second lieutenant and training officer in the New Haven Civil Air Patrol, and an auxiliary of the Army Air Forces.
Mr. Putnam’s professional experience was long and rich, chiefly in the area of sales, in which he excelled due to his interpersonal and analytical skills. He worked as an insurance broker and agent for many companies. In later years, he served as vice-president of Hamilton Cornell Associates in Hingham, then as vice president and general manager of Crystal Engineering Company in Wakefield. He also was a real estate broker for many years before retiring.
Mr. Putnam was a 33° Mason and a lifelong member of the Aleppo Temple Shrine, where he worked to raise money for the Shriners Burns Institute. He engaged in many civic activities throughout the years, but was most proud of having founded and been the first commissioner of Little League baseball in Milton.
He enjoyed reading, conversation, travel, and spending time with family. He especially looked forward to Harvard reunions, and was thrilled to attend the fiftieth reunion of his class. He married the late Dorothy Kelleher Putnam of Quincy in 1988. In his final years, he enjoyed the companionship of his friend, the late Julia Folmsbee of Quincy.
Before recent setbacks in health, Mr. Putnam was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Hingham, where his congeniality, sense of humor, and public speaking skills made him well-known. His ability to communicate with and relate to people from all walks of life won him many friends.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 14 at 11:00 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 79 Gardner Street, Hingham. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Shriners Hospital for Children - Boston, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114.