Muriel Adelaide Putnam Smith, wife of the late Everett Smith, Jr., age 97, died peacefully at Greenwich Hospital on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019.
A lifelong resident of Greenwich, Muriel was the daughter of the late Frenelia and Eben Fiske Appleton Putnam also of Greenwich. Her father, known in his day as “Mr. Greenwich”, was a local businessman who founded the Greenwich Gas Company, the Greenwich Water Company, and owned the Pickwick Arms Hotel. Muriel was a direct descendant of General Israel Putnam. She married Everett Smith, Jr. of Scarsdale, NY on Sept. 20, 1947 at Christ Church in Greenwich. Her husband, Everett, was active in local civic and governmental activities and represented Greenwich in the State Legislature. Together they owned and operated Quaker Ridge Stables for many years.
Muriel attended Greenwich Academy, graduated from Miss Porter’s School at Farmington, CT, Sarah Lawrence College, and New York School of Professional Art. Early in her career, Muriel worked for Vogue Magazine and Colliers Magazine.
During World War II, she was a volunteer at the local Draft Board of which her father was the Chairman. In the 1960s, she ran “The Beauty Kick” an exercise studio very popular with the local ladies (and their husbands!). During her long life, she was a former board member of the Round Hill Guild, The Greenwich Exchange for Women’s Work, and a longtime volunteer at the Greenwich Hospital. She was a member of the Putnam Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution since 1936 and Daughters of American Colonists. For many years, she was instrumental in receiving and caring for homeless cats in Greenwich and other animal causes.
She leaves three children: Eben Putnam Smith and spouse Kathy Guck of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Pamela Putnam Smith and James Hoffman of Branford, CT, and Everett Smith III and spouse Elizabeth Claiborne of Greenwich and seven grandchildren: Kelly Taylor of Lahore, Pakistan, Tara Sarosiek of Brentwood, TN, Kristen Smith of Seattle, WA, Hilary Smith of Washington, DC, Ashley Smith of Greenwich, Everett Smith of Greenwich, and Harrison Smith of Dallas, TX. She was predeceased by her granddaughter Elise Putnam Smith. Muriel has four great-grandchildren Hudson, Cameron, Lily, and Oscar.
In lieu of flowers, she requests that donations be made to Adopt-a-Dog, Cat Rescue and the Israel Putnam House Association. Also, the family invites you to join them in celebrating her life in typical “Mumu” fashion with a margarita sans ice as “ice just gets in the way.”
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019 at The Round Hill Community Church, 395 Round Hill Rd., Greenwich.
