PUTNEY, Lawrence 1899-1979

PUTNEY, BALDWIN, ELDRIDGE

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 8/10/2012 at 16:49:09

Death Claims Former State Senator Putney

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church in Gladbrook for Lawrence Putney, 79, a longtime Iowa legislator and former chairman of the State Board of Social Welfare.

Mr. Putney died Tuesday night, October 23, at his home in Gladbrook of a heart attack.

He was born Nov. 3, 1899, in Grundy Center, a son of William Harris and Mary Anna Baldwin Putney. He attended Cedar Falls public schools, the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University.

On June 6, 1928, he married Geneva Eldridge.

Mr. Putney was a veteran of World War I. He was a high school principal and athletic coach, and entered private business in 1930. He operated a hatchery, feed manufacturing and farm supply business in Gladbrook and Marshalltown until 1955 when he retired.

From 1955 until his death, he managed numerous farm interests and was active in the production of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

A former mayor and councilman in Gladbrook, Mr. Putney, a Republican, was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1944 where he served for five terms. He was named speaker pro tem of the 54th General Assembly. In 1954 he was elected to the Iowa Senate and was re-elected for a second term in 1958.

Mr. Putney served from 1961 to 1967 on the State Board of Social Welfare.

He was a member of the El Kahir Shrine, Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity, and the Gladbrook United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, two sons, Mark of Des Moines and John of Gladbrook; two daughters, Mrs. Jean Secor of Omaha, Neb., and Mrs. Joan Tews of Lincoln, Neb.; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

--Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 1 November 1979