Charles Putnam Preston, Jr.

Colonel Charles Putnam Preston, Jr., USMC (Ret.), of Tappahannock, Virginia, passed away on February 7, 2025. Known to family and friends as “Put,” he was born in Richmond, Virginia, on November 30, 1940, and graduated from Sarasota High School in 1958.

He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he enrolled in NROTC and earned a degree in ceramics engineering. Commissioned in the United States Marine Corps in 1963, he served proudly for more than 26 years in various assignments, including a tour in Vietnam.

Put was devoted to his family and was an avid fisherman—he enjoyed fishing for striped bass on the Rappahannock River, gardening, and caring for animals. He was an active member of Grace Presbyterian Church in King George.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, John. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Tinsley Preston; his son, Charles; his daughter, Corie; and six beloved grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on February 13 at Hope Presbyterian Church in Spotsylvania, followed by a 1:00 p.m. committal service with military honors at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a contribution to Grace Presbyterian Church or Wounded Warrior Project.