Lorna Putnam

Lorna Hill Putnam passed away on Saturday, October 12, 2019. Funeral services will be held at the Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 with interment following in the Rutherfordton City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, Monday, October 14, 2019 at McMahan's Funeral Home.

Lorna was born and raised in Illinois and was the daughter of the late Reverend William H. Hill and J. Ella Barber Hill. She was attending the University of Illinois before joining the U.S. Navy WAVES during World War II. She met and married Lionel Putnam while they were stationed at Quonset Point, R.I. She was honorably discharged in 1944 with the rating of Aerographers Mate 3rd Class. After the war, she and Lionel moved to Rutherfordton where they lived and raised their family. She was preceded in death by her son Bruce, and her husband, Lionel. 

She was employed by Doncaster as a secretary/correspondent for over 23 years and was active in civic and church work during her life. She had been President of the PTA, held offices in the Rutherfordton Garden Club, the Rutherford Hospital Volunteers, The Board of the Rutherford/Polk Mental Health Association and the Board of The Learning Tree. Lorna was one of the first women Deacons in the Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church as well as serving as Elder and Clerk of the Session. She was active in the Women of the church serving as President several times, Circle Leader and received an honorary Life Membership in 1987. The family would like to give a special thank you to the staff at Oakland Living Center for their loving care for the past two years. They would also like to thank Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills. 

Surviving her are her sons Lionel W. "Lonnie" and his wife Judy, Devaney "Dee" and his wife Catherine, and Thomas "Tom" and his wife Susan.  

Memorials may be made to the Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church Building Fund: P.O. Box 1133 Rutherfordton, NC 28139, or to Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills; P.O. Box 336 Forest City, NC 28043. An online guest register is available at www.mcmahansfuneralhome.com. McMahan's Funeral Home & Cremation Services are in charge of arrangements. 

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