Dale C. Putman of Leawood, KS passed away gently in his sleep on the morning of December 15, 2019. He was born on April 29, 1927 in Sioux City, Iowa and was raised primarily in Ponca, Nebraska. Following his freshman year in college at Wayne State Teachers College in Wayne, NE, he joined the United States Army in June 1945. He was sent to Yale University to study Japanese and serve his country as an Interpreter and an Officer during his 18-month engagement.
Dale completed his formal education after the war at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE where he earned a BS degree in Pre-Law in 1948 and Juris Doctorate degree in Law in June 1951. He was married to Alice Anselmi in Lincoln on September 8, 1951, and they spent their lives together happily for nearly 67 years. He began his career as the Manager of the Credit Bureau of Sioux City, IA and then worked for the Metz Baking Company of Sioux City, IA, for 23 years, ultimately becoming the President of the company. He moved to Leawood, KS in August 1976
where he completed his career as President, CEO and Chairman of Interstate Brands Corporation and the parent company, Interstate Bakeries, a Fortune 500 company and the second largest bakery chain in the United States.
Dale retired in 1985 and has spent the last 34 years focused on his extended family, his favorite hobbies, arbitrating legal cases and extensive voluntary service to the International Executive Business Corps and the Roman Catholic Church, where he was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, the Serra Club of Kansas City in Kansas, the Order of Malta, Order of the Holy Sepulcher and Order of Mensa. He greatly enjoyed spending time with his wife traveling and particularly enjoyed family vacations in Breckenridge, CO and Scottsdale, AZ.
He also attended many activities of his grandchildren, including their youth sports, plays, graduations, birthdays and other milestone events. His other favorite pastimes also included daily monitoring of the stock market, watching the business news and sharing his extensive knowledge of world history. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and will be greatly missed.
Dale is preceded in death by his wife, Alice, who passed away August 6, 2018, his mother, Catherine and his sister, Patricia. Dale and Alice have 7 children, Mark and Ampy of Las Vegas, NV, Lee and Jackie of Omaha, NE, Neil and Catherine of Madison, CT, Bruce and Laurie of Overland Park, KS, Kirk and Rita, of Overland Park, KS, Nancy and Michael of Prairie Village, KS and Wendy of Phoenix, AZ. They have 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Services will be held at Cure' of Ars Catholic Church next Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Serra Club of Kansas City in Kansas or Catholic Charities Hospice.