Robert Preston (Bob) Putnam, age 82, of 800 Douglas Street, Clifton Forge, Virginia, died Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at his residence.

Bob was born October 5, 1933, in Clifton Forge to the late Herman Edward Putnam, Sr. and Ola Mae Nicely Putnam.

He was a retired Amtrak locomotive engineer for CSX Transportation, belonging to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and serving as secretary/treasurer and local chairman for many years.

He served in the Virginia National Guard and on the Chesapeake and Ohio Hospital Association Board and was instrumental in the planning, development, and groundbreaking for Alleghany Regional Hospital.

He was a member Lone Star Advent Christian Church and Clifton Forge Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the Clifton Forge Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. 1065, the Clifton Forge Masonic Lodge # 166 A.F. and A.M. (50 year member), the Clifton Forge Shrine Club, and The Kazim Shrine, as well as Bear Loop Hunt Club and Buckhorn Hunt Club.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, James D. and Daisy N. Nicely; a brother, Herman E. Putnam, Jr. and sister-in-law, Loretta N. Putnam; a sister, Myrene P. LeHew; and a brother-in-law, Bobby Stinespring.

He is survived by his wife, Jayne Craft Putnam of Clifton Forge; three daughters, Kathryn Preston Putnam of Covington, Mary Elizabeth "Mary Beth" P. Garten and husband, Tommy of Covington, and Amy Leigh P. Haymaker and husband, "T" of Eagle Rock; four grandsons, Matthew Garten and wife, Kristen of Covington, Robert C. "Dizzy" Garten and wife, Natalie of Covington, and Thomas Jackson Haymaker and William Sawyer Haymaker, both of Eagle Rock; three great grandchildren, Matthew Tate Garten, Thomas Henry "Hank" Garten, and Georgia Ann Garten; two sisters, Ernestine P. Tyler and husband, Dan of Collinsville and Loretha P. Stinespring of Clifton Forge; a number of nieces and nephews, including special nephews, Bryan Stinespring and Kevin Stinespring.

A funeral service will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, with Reverend W. Pembroke Hall officiating, assisted by Reverend Doug Moore and Reverend Paul Brokaw.

Following the service his body will be cremated.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bob's nephews, Grover Nicely, Jr., Adali Nicely, Abdul Sarafandi, Eddie Putnam, Allen LeHew, Danny Tyler, Bill LeHew, Scott LeHew and Eddie Wright.

The family will receive friends on Saturday evening from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Nicely Funeral Home, and at other times at the residence, 800 Douglas Street, Clifton Forge.

The family suggests memorial tributes take the form of contributions to Mountain Regional Hospice Volunteers, P. O. Box 637, Clifton Forge, VA 24422 or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorial and Honor Program.