Marlene Falley Putnam

Our mother, Marlene Falley Putnam, 90, died on December 17, 2022, after living a long and full life. She was very loved and will be missed by her family and friends. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, January 21, 11 am, at the Hoyt United Methodist Church, 405 Highland Ave., in Hoyt, Kansas.

Marlene was born October 3, 1932, in Topeka, Kansas, daughter of Sam and Minnie Falley, and had three brothers, Robert, Myron, and Don, all preceding her in death. She and her brothers grew up on the Falley Fruit & Vegetable farm on Lower Silver Lake Road in Topeka. She graduated from Seaman High School and Kansas State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master's in Adult Education. In 1953, she married Duane T. Putnam, Admire, at the Kansas Avenue Methodist Church. Duane preceded her in death in 2013.

Marlene's life was packed full of adventure, hard work, and the love of horses. Her passion for horses began as a child growing up on Silver Lake Road on the Falley's Fruit and Vegetable Farm with her parents and brothers Bob and Don. She rode her pony to school, bummed rides to the horse shows and parades with local horsemen who would haul her horse "Banner" in the back of their truck. Marlene learned to jump under the guidance of Colonel Tuttle, rode with Judge McFarland across the West Lawn meadows, and was one of the youngest competitors to win at the Kansas City American Royal at age 14. She worked hard, and did her chores of milking cows and bunching radishes to fund her horse habit. As soon as her chores were done, Marlene was riding her horse down the drive with her blonde hair flying behind her.

Marlene couldn't wait to grow up and started college at age 16 at Kansas State University, working for her board at Clovia House. She continued to refine her equestrian skills in both English and Western disciplines and looked forward to the annual KSU Block & Bridle's Little American Royal exhibition where she attempted to show in every event offered. Two years into her college career, she took a detour and joined American Airlines as a flight attendant and flew the New York to Miami to Las Vegas routes, and worked as a sportswear runway model for the next three years. On a visit home, a cowboy named Duane Putnam called her up and a short time later, they married and started moving across the midwest to manage cattle operations in South Dakota, Colorado, Texas, and Kansas. They raised cattle, kids, and horses for nearly a decade but by the 1960s, they settled near Topeka living in Richland and Auburn. Marlene and Duane's five children, David (deceased), Diana Friend (John), Douglas, Darren (Janis), and Damon (Julie), kept them busy, and their home was the central gathering place for other horse-loving families.

With Duane's ranching expertise and her show background, horses began to dominate the work they did and when they purchased AQHA champion stallion, Rooster Bars, the Putnam Quarter Horse business began in earnest in Auburn, Kansas. A breeding, training, and teaching operation began to rapidly expand during the 1970s and forced relocation to a larger property in Jackson County on Highway 75.

Marlene had many careers including teaching school at Clark's School of Business and the Kaw Area Vocational School. She established Pioneer Village, an ICFMR for the mentally impaired, and served as the administrator. She sold Farm Bureau insurance, operating the North Topeka office which connected her with childhood family and friends. She did all this while she and Duane ran the horse operations seven days a week. If she wasn't at her other job, you would find Marlene astride a horse in the arena giving riding lessons or selling one of the offspring from the Putnam breeding program. From the 1970s to the early 1990s, most any Kansas show you attended, you would see someone competing on a horse that had been bred by or trained at the Putnam ranch.

Marlene burned up the highways hauling kids and horses to 4-H, Open, Quarter Horse shows, and High School rodeos for several decades. All of her children loved horses, showing, and rodeoing in multiple events. The third and fourth generations of the Putnams' have continued this legacy with Sam, Cody, Savanna, Macy, Megan, and Olivia, and great-granddaughters Annabelle, Lennon, and Karsten loving horses.

Marlene's favorite memories were filled with her passion for horses, art, antiques, reading, her family, and the other families that rode with her. She was a tireless advocate for individuals with mental disabilities, creating programs and services that empowered them to live as independently as possible.

To honor Marlene, memorial contributions may be made to the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66604, or to GoodLife Innovations "Grow Midnight Farms" fund (son David lived at CLO as an adult) 2113 Delaware St, Lawrence, KS 66046