BERNICE PUTMAN

PUTMAN BERNICE, was born on December 15, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan, and resided in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills for most of her life. She died on March 28, 2015. She was 89 years old. Bernice attended Southeastern High School in Detroit, where she excelled at track. She also loved ice skating and was a voracious reader. After working in sales at The J.L. Hudson Company's flagship store in downtown Detroit, she joined Saks Fifth Avenue in the New Center Building. While there, she held various positions, including sales and bookkeeping. She was also a model at Saks, appearing extensively in store fashion shows, modeling Christian Dior and Oleg Cassini. Her keen sense of style and love of fashion were qualities she carried throughout her life. Chic and sophisticated, Bernice was also extremely creative. She loved her home and loved working with fabric. An avid seamstress and upholsterer, she was passionate about projects around the house. She loved antiquing and restoring and repurposing her treasures. Bernice loved to garden. She loved plants and flowers of all kinds, and spent long summer hours in the yard. Bernice was funny and feisty. Strong willed and determined, she was fiercely independent and raised her daughter to be equally brave and undaunted. Bernice was utterly devoted to her husband and daughter. She will be remembered for her love and kindness, as well as for her unerring style and love of beauty. Bernice was preceded in death by her husband David M. Putman. They met when both were working at Saks and were married for 58 years. She is survived by her daughter Janice J. Bukoff (Allen), as well as by her sister, and many nephews and nieces. Bernice was truly beautiful, inside and out, and she will be greatly missed. The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 1, 2015 from 4-7 p.m. at A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 2600 Crooks Road (between Maple and Big Beaver), 248-362-2500. Funeral services will be private. Memorial tributes may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. View obituary and share memories at www.DesmondFuneralHome.com