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Mick Putney, our Vice
President, passes |
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It's with profound sadness that we announce
the passing of a long-serving and valuable friend and member
of the
Last Stand
Board, Mick Putney. Mick passed away Saturday, November 21,
after a short illness.
Mick served on the Board as Vice President
for the past several years, and was a valued environmental
and civic activist in
Last Stand
as well as in other groups and on his own.
We shall miss Mick's wit, wisdom, and gentle
yet persuasive demeanor, as will all who knew him. We, the
Keys, and the world, were fortunate to have Mick among us.
Below is the article about Mick's passing from the November
24 Keynoter, and below that is his obituary.
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| From the November 25
Keynoter:
Key deer defender Putney dies at age 80
Environmentalist also known for solar lifestyle
By LARRY KAHN
lkahn@keynoter.com
Posted - Wednesday, November 25, 2009 06:47 AM EST
Mick Putney, defender of all things environmental but especially
the endangered Key deer, died Saturday at age 80 from a rare
fungal infection, blastomycosis.
He and his wife Alicia moved to Key Largo in 1983 from
California, and in 1990 built a solar-powered home on No Name
Key. They used it as a model, showing scores of youths -- from
AmeriCorps staff to Key West High School students -- how to live
off the grid and decrease your carbon footprint.
Many considered him the face of the Key Deer Protection
Alliance, which focuses on protecting the herd and its habitat.
He was its president for nearly a decade, ending his service
just this month.
He also was vice president of Last Stand, a Lower Keys group
that considers itself the local protector of the environment.
"As far as environmentalism, he walked the walk," former Last
Stand president and current board member Dennis Henize said. "He
left behind big shoes to fill, but left a small footprint."
"They're a friend and defender" of the National Key Deer Refuge,
refuge Manager Anne Morkill said, referring to Putney and his
wife. "They defend the refuge, but they also check our
activities. What I've really appreciated about Mick perhaps as
opposed to other individuals is he usually provides constructive
criticism. I've gone to Mick and Alicia when I've not gone to
others for feedback."
"I met him within my first couple of months down here, about 12
years ago. I was an education intern for the refuge," says
Allison Higgins, land conservation program manager for The
Nature Conservancy in the Keys. "He was just an incredibly warm
and witty individual. There were multiple things I went to Mick
for mentoring, education and the history of things."
Putney was also heavily involved in the Big Pine Civic
Association, according to former President John Murphy.
"He was really active in the fight against incorporation," he
said.
Putney was born on Feb. 27, 1929, in Lincoln, Neb. He earned
bachelor's and master's degrees in philosophy at the University
of Nebraska before receiving his Ph.D in sociology from the
University of Oregon.
He was a professor for most of his adult life, teaching at Drake
University, Florida State, San Jose State and the Union
Institute.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years Alicia; sister Patricia
Watsonson Gregory Putney; and daughter Cynde Mitchell and her
children Daniel and Amelia.
A memorial service is planned for Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at the
National Key Deer Refuge, at the head of the Manillo trail,
where Mick Putney donated more than 2,000 hours of volunteer
service.
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SNELL
‘MICK’ PUTNEY
Gifted scholar, poet and environmentalist Snell "Mick" Putney of
No Name Key died unexpectedly at the tender age of 80 on
Saturday, November 21, 2009, from a rare fungal infection,
blastomycosis.
Born in Lincoln, Neb., to Williams W. and Hazel Snell Putney on
Feb. 27, 1929, Mick earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree
in philosophy at the University of Nebraska, before receiving
his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Oregon. A
professor for most of his adult life, he taught at Drake
University, Florida State University, San Jose State University,
and Union Institute in the course of his long career.
Mick and his wife, Alicia, first visited the Keys by sailboat in
1978, before buying a house in Key Largo in 1983. In 1990, the
couple built their beautiful solar home on No Name Key, which
has been the site of many lectures and tours educating people on
the possibilities of a sun-powered residence.
What many people who toured the home don’t realize is that Mick
built most of the house himself, as he did a 40-foot sailboat,
and always had a workshop wherever he went. As his wife likes to
put it, "Mick could fix everything … except a computer."
Mick was trailblazing, boating, building and fixing things up
until the last month of his life.
Most people knew Mick from his tireless work to protect the
environment, particularly that of the Florida Keys. He served as
president of the Key Deer Protection Alliance for almost a
decade, only ending his tenure in early November 2009. He also
served on the board of directors for Last Stand for many years.
Mick did everything a man could do to minimize his footprint on
his beloved green earth.
For those of us who will miss him so, and will celebrate his
work, we can attest that his impact on all of us was enormous
and profound, and will long be remembered.
Mick is survived by his wife of 35 years, Alicia Putney; his
sister, Patricia Watson of Portland, Ore.; his son, Gregory
Putney of Selma, Ore.; his daughter, Cynde Mitchell and her two
children, Daniel and Amelia, of Peaks Island, Maine; and his
beloved cat, Tee Cee.
Mick requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one
of his favorite charities: the
Key Deer Protection
Alliance,
Last Stand,
Witness for Peace – Southeast Regional Office
(919-856-9468), the
Freedom From Religion Foundation (608-256-8900), and the
Committee for
Skeptical Inquiry (716-636-1425).
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 5,
2009, at the National Key Deer Refuge, at the head of the Fred
Mannillo trail, where Mick donated more than 2,000 hours of his
volunteer service.
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