Mary Jane Putnam

A graveside service for Mary Jane Putnam will be held at St. John Catholic Church Cemetery, Paxton, SD, on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at 11 a.m. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Jane (Lang) Putnam, 85, passed away in her sleep December 19, 2020 in Cathedral City, CA.

Mary Jane was born in Gehring, NE, on October 20, 1935, to Irvin and Dolly Lang. Tragedy struck the young family when Mary Jane was diagnosed with spinal meningitis, a typically fatal disease for that time.

The family moved to Dallas, SD, in 1945, where they farmed. Mary Jane attended Dallas High School, and was a member of the last graduating class, as the school burned down her senior year.

After graduation, Mary Jane attended Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, SD, and obtained her teaching certificate. She also worked part-time in her aunt and uncle’s restaurant in Dallas, which is where she met her future husband, Robert (Bob) Putnam. Mary Jane taught grades 1-8 in a one room schoolhouse during her courtship with Bob, and they celebrated their nuptials on June 8, 1955.

After her marriage, Mary Jane moved to Bristol, SD, with her husband. Bob got in big trouble after he traded their house in town for a farm west of town without discussing the move with Mary Jane. By this time, the family had five children and Bob wanted his kids to grow up on a farm like he did. As the family grew, so did the amount of land she and Bob farmed. Their children did most of the farming, as Bob still worked in town at the local Cenex.

Mary Jane spent her free time enjoying arts and crafts. She spent many hours embroidering. She enjoyed ceramics, cake decorating, macrame and quilting. She also worked part time as a substitute teacher for the Groton School District. She also enjoyed politics, and was very active in the SD Democratic party, and an avid fan of music.

Bob and Mary Jane sold their farm after twenty years of farming, and moved to California. While in California, Mary Jane went back to school and obtained her degree in early childhood education, and taught pre-K until she retired. After Bob retired, they moved to Arizona and lived there until Bob passed away in 2015. Their years in Arizona were filled with golf and good friends.

Mary moved to Palm Springs, near her son Steven. Dementia robbed her of many things in her final years, but it never stopped her singing.

Mary Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Putnam, parents Irvin and Dolly Lang and brother Donald Lang.

She is survived by her six children: Rodney Putnam of Piedmont, SD, Michael Putnam (DaleAnn) of Peoria, AZ, Randall (Fanny) Putnam, of Sioux Falls, Timothy Putnam (Tori) of Visalia, CA, Cheryl (Matt) Putnam of Half Moon Bay, CA, and Steven (Rey) Putnam of Palm Springs, CA; sister Beverly (Vern) Steffan, eleven grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.