Eleanor Putnam, age 86, of Milaca died August 26, 2015 at Fairview Northland Hospital in Princeton. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, August 31st at Oxlip Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Lee Scheumann officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday and also from 3:00 – 6:00 P.M. Sunday, August 30th at Strike Funeral Home – Cambridge Chapel. Interment will be in Long Lake Community Cemetery.
Eleanor Mae Putnam was born September 21, 1928 in Anoka, Minnesota to Leo and Frances (Davis) Andrews. She attended Washington Elementary School and graduated from Anoka High School. She worked at Andrew’s Service station, which was owned by her father, as a book keeper and clerk. She often talked about scooping extremely large ice cream cones. Lowell was a frequent customer at the station. He liked the ice cream cones, which he often joked, were so big they made him shiver, but as much as he liked the cones, he liked the server better. In 1949 Eleanor married Lowell Putnam. They raised their family in the Anoka area. In 1997 Eleanor and Lowell moved to Elk River to live with their son, Gary and his wife, Karen. They moved with them to Milaca in 2004 and in 2009 Lowell passed away.
Eleanor enjoyed watching birds, playing games, working on puzzles, crocheting, music and singing, baking, cooking, entertaining, and traveling. She often would go exploring to see if she could discover a new type of flower or yet another agate. In her younger years she also loved camping. Her greatest passions were her Lord and Savior, and her family. She attended church at Oxlip until health issues prevented it. Neighborhood kids and friends were always welcomed in her home and she even had some that called her their second mom.
Eleanor passed away August 26, 2015 at Fairview Northland Hospital in Princeton as the result of several strokes at the age of 86 years, 11 months and 5 days. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell, 1 son, granddaughter Christina, granddaughter Melissa, and grandson B.J.
She will be lovingly remembered by her four sons, Kevin of Forest Lake, Steve of Andover, Doug of Andover, Gary (Karen) of Milaca; two daughters, Sandie (Bob) Johnson of Isanti, Cheryl Lahr of Princeton; one brother, Edwin (Carol) Andrews of Stanwood, Iowa; 8 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and by many other relatives and friends.