Paul Putnam

Paul Putnam

Greenfield, MA - On September 6, 2023, Paul Richard Putnam of Greenfield, MA passed away after a long illness. He was 73.

Paul was born on June 3, 1950 to Richard Eliot Putnam and Charlotte Page Putnam, and grew up in Turners Falls, MA. At the age of 9, he lost his father to brain cancer and moved to Northfield, MA. He attended Pioneer Valley Regional High School, where he played cornerback on the football team, graduating in 1968. He went on to attend Northland College in Wisconsin for one year, before eventually earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts. A life-long skier, he fell in love with the sport after a winter spent bussing tables and skiing in Jackson, NH. He turned this passion into a career, becoming the racing director and head coach of the Berkshire East Ski Team in 1979, where he remained until he retired. He married his wife Tina Smith in 1981, and his son Jeffrey was born in 1989.

Over 30+ years, Paul oversaw 700+ race events hosted at Berkshire East, ranging from the local high school league to USSA races, collegiate races, FIS races, and the Massachusetts state high school championships. Berkshire East Ski Team athletes competed at eastern regional races, US Nationals, and many went on to ski at the collegiate level. In addition, former Berkshire East racers made the US National Team, competed in the NCAA Championships, and several became USCSA National Champions.

Always in need of summer employment, Paul held a variety of jobs including picking tobacco, roofing, and working at a tannery. After earning his college degree, he found a job as a counselor at the Franklin-Hampshire Youth Employment Center. Eventually, he took on the position of summer program coordinator, which involved overseeing two county offices and at times, up to 350 underserved high schoolers from the local community, helping them build fundamental employment skills. He found this second career both challenging and rewarding, similar to his role at Berkshire East.

Paul asked and expected a lot from his athletes, but also cared deeply about their personal growth and development. He believed that putting 100% effort into any activity (whether a success or failure) was a worthwhile endeavor, and would ultimately pay dividends later in life. While he loved competition (especially Saturday afternoon time trials at Berkshire East), ultimately, he was a firm proponent of process-driven rather than results-oriented athlete development. Along these lines, his proudest moments were not of his athlete's race results, but rather how they went on to build their lives outside of ski racing.

Paul retired from coaching in 2012, and is survived by his wife Tina, son Jeff, brothers Connie and Steve, and step-brother Richard Schepp. Other than skiing, his favorite pastimes included boating on the Connecticut River with family and friends, and tending his wife's numerous flower gardens. Small celebrations of life will be held at the Putnam residence on Saturday September 16, and later in the year at Berkshire East. Please contact Jeff Putnam [putnam.jeffrey@yahoo.com] for details.

Kidder Funeral Home, 1 Parker Ave., Northfield , Mass is in charge of arrangemnts.