Charles William (Bill) Putnam, 85, Minot, formerly of the Grand Forks & Alsen area, ND, died Wednesday, November 18, 2020 in a Minot Nursing Home.

Bill was born October 26, 1935 at Grand Forks, North Dakota, the son of Charles and Louise (Rund) Putnam. He was raised in Grand Forks, ND, Proctor, MN and Seattle, WA. He later moved to Alsen, ND, where he lived with his Aunt Mollie and Uncle Jake Albrecht and graduated from high school in 1954.

Bill was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Melva Pankratz, July 28, 1953 in Alsen. Bill was employed with Red Owl Grocery throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. The family moved to Minot in 1971 where he worked for I. Keating Furniture. He would later become the pastor of the Calvary Alliance Church in Minot.

In 1980, he and Melva would begin a traveling ministry of music and evangelism through the Christian Missionary Alliance denomination, where they traveled extensively across the US and Canada. Following this, he entered into ministry as full time Pastor at Polson, Montana for 16 years with the Christian Missionary Alliance Church. During this time, he completed studies and became an ordained minister.

He retired to North Dakota to be near his family. He was a former member of the Swiss Mennonite Church in Alsen and had attended First Assembly of God Church in Minot. He was a member of the XYZ fellowship at First Baptist Church, the Sertoma Club of Minot and had enjoyed playing the guitar, hunting and fishing.

His loving family includes , wife, Melva of 67 years, children, Gene (Cynthia) Putnam of Minot; LaVonne (Mark) Hamre, Yakima, WA & Beckie (Jeremiah) Taylor, Minot, ND;  8 grandchildren & 22 great grandchildren; siblings, Frances Page, Los Angeles, CA, sister-in-law, Linda Pankratz of Minot and brother- and sister-in-law Elmon and Karen Larson of Omaha, NE along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Grant Putnam, Wendell Putnam, Ted Walters and sisters, Pearl Sorenson and Cathy Gourdine and brother- and sister-in-law, Walter and Joan Scott and brother-in-law, Orlin Pankratz.

Family Celebration of Life service: Saturday, November 28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in Our Redeemers Church, Minot.
Public Graveside service: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Alsen Community Cemetery, Alsen, ND
Public Visitation: Friday, November 27 ^th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
There will be a delayed streaming of the service starting Monday, November 30th by viewing https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas

Charles Putnam Flower Pictures