Sara Andrews Putnam

Sara was born on 28 August 1949 in Atlanta, GA to parents Bob and Sara Andrews, who were in the business of opening Movie Theaters across Southeast USA for The O.C. Lam Amusement Co. Many of these theaters are still in operation today.

She grew up in Rome, GA, and was the feature twirler with the East Rome, GA Marching Gladiators Band, which defeated much larger Jax State in the “Battle of the Bands-Southeast” in 1967.

She selected Auburn University for her study of Elementary Education, where she was introduced by Dee Agricola (a descendant of the founding family of the City of Gadsden) To Bill Putnam, who was at Auburn studying Chemical Engineering. This turned into a Love Affair of nearly 60 years. The Putnam’s were active members of the Atlanta Auburn Club and Auburn Football Scholarship Donors for many years.

While living in New Jersey, Sara enrolled at Ryder College (which is next door to Princeton) to complete her degree in elementary Education, graduating Suma Cum Laude and taught “open space” Elementary School for many years in New Jersey, Ohio, and Georgia.

Business careers took Sara and Bill to homes in Akron, OH (Goodyear Tire Headquarters) Chicago, IL, New Jersey, and Atlanta, Ga. Business travel took them to Hawaii, Hong Kong, Taipei, Taiwan, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.

They retired in 2008 to a home on Weiss Lake, Cherokee County, AL, where she very much enjoyed boating, fishing and was an avid reader.

In 1998 they bought a condo, on Panama City Beah, FL which Sara called “their own little piece of paradise.” She loved to sit quietly for hours on end at surf’s edge, fully taking in the beach sounds and the salt air. She even had names for the daily recurring shore birds.

Sara was a significant annual contributor to Danny Thomas’ St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. This is why, in lieu of flowers, we request that any desired donations be made to St. Jude’s Hospital.

People like Sara Andrews Putnam do not come along every day; instead of seeing how much they can “take”, they focus on how much they can give, to make the world a better place to live, and this has been proven over and over again by the genuine responses we have received from you here today following the public announcement of Sara’s untimely death. Sara simply brightened our lives!

Sara’s body and soul were Christian here on Earth, and we feel very confident that she is already serving God and her Savior Jesus Christ this very day in Heaven.

May God Bless and keep her beautiful Soul throughout all eternity. In Jesus Heavenly Name, Amen.