Willie and Louise Putnam

Louise Martone Putnam, 75, and Willie Grady Putnam, 91, of Fairfax, Virginia, were involved in a fatal single-vehicle automobile accident in North Carolina, on their way from Fairfax to their beach home near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on January 29, 2016. Willie and Louise fortuitously met when they were both attending real estate school. When Willie's first wife (with whom he was together for 40 years), Shirley Putnam, passed away, he decided to fill his time by learning to become a real estate agent. Louise, who had been widowed, had also decided to embark on that career path. They met on their first day in class. Willie repeatedly chose his seat to be next to her and, eventually, asked her out for dinner and a movie, which she accepted. He arrived for the date on June 7, 1987, in a three piece suit with a wrist corsage for Louise. She quickly changed out of her jeans and t-shirt and donned a formal dress. They married in 1988. Louise was mother to A.J. Brown of Alexandria, Virginia, and of Luke Adams, of San Francisco, California. Willie was stepfather to A.J. Brown, and father to William Putnam, Jr. Willie is survived by his sister Martha Campbell (and her family) of Alpharetta, Georgia. Louise is survived by her sisters (and their families), Barbara Jamilik and Rosemarie Tinari of Yorktown, Virginia, and Ann Montesano of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and by her brother Angelo Martone, Jr. (and his family), of East Haven, Connecticut. Louise was a mother, homemaker, an architectural secretary, a legal secretary, a teacher, and a real estate agent. She graduated in 1957 from Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut, and was a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi. She later earned her bachelor's degree in Education from George Mason University. Louise was a member of the Hampton Chase Garden Club, and a regular member of her pool swim class at Burke Racquet and Swim Club. Willie was an Army veteran of World War II and of the Korean War. He was a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and worked for many years as an engineer and product manager. Willie was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus at the Father Julius J. Cilinski Council No. 10947. He served as Grand Knight of that Council from 1998 to 1999. Willie was a lifetime member of and served in various offices for the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 8469 (who refer to themselves affectionately as "the blue and gray" post). He was a regular mall walker at Fair Oaks Mall. Both Willie and Louise were quiet philanthropists, who were both parishioners and communicants of St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Clifton, Virginia, and were on hand for the construction of that church. They were also both loyal communicants of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and were also on hand for the construction of that church. They worked to support the Obama for President Campaign, with Louise also dedicating time for phone banking in Virginia to get out the vote. Louise was a women's rights advocate from the time it was very difficult for women to have careers, until she died. Memorial visitation hours will be held at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5755 Castlewellan Dr, Alexandria, Virginia 22315, on Wednesday, February 17, and on Thursday, February 18, from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm both days. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 6720 Union Mill Rd, Clifton, Virginia 20124, on Friday, February 19, at 10:30 am. Interment will take place at Quantico National Cemetery, 18424 Joplin Rd, Triangle, VA 22172 at 1:00 PM. Reception to follow at The Clubs at Quantico and Crossroads Event Center, 3017 Russell Rd, Quantico, Virginia 22134. If you wish, in lieu of flowers, to make a donation in the names of Willie and Louise Putnam, the designated charities are the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association.

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Willie and Louise Putnam