When Sherri “Danger” Lucas and Bob Putnam announced they’d be closing the iconic Way Out Club in summer 2021, people across the St. Louis region and far beyond shared memories of the wonderfully way-out times they’d enjoyed there.
It’s not that Bob and Sherri had grown tired of providing a unique place for local arts, artists and community. They decided to close after 27 years to give themselves as much time together as possible after Bob’s late pandemic diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Last month, on Aug. 26, Sherri Lucas posted a sunny, happy photo of Bob to her Facebook page to share news of his passing. More than 580 folks left words of condolence and fond recollection in response, and over 150 people reposted Sherri’s photo and caption with vivid descriptions of what Bob Putnam meant to them:
“Bob had a deep and abiding respect for artists that gave their all and kept their word. Bob also had a great deal of faith in people, allowing us to try every crazy kind of production you could dream of.” – Chris G.
“He brought so much joy and curated so much creativity in the community.” – Elena Pahl
“Bob was one of the people who gave me my start in reading poetry and performing music. He was a fellow volunteer at radio station KDHX. He was always kind, encouraging, enthusiastic and genuinely interested in people. He was a sweet friend full of great stories. He knew how to live, and he lived very fully. There have been many second fathers in my life, and Bob was easily in the top 5.” – John G.
“I first met you and Sherri at Mangia in 1992. You were funny and kind and had the best laugh. Even though I was some shy kid from Arnold, you always clapped when I worked up the nerve to read something on stage at the Wabash. Thank you for loving St. Louis as much as you did, we will certainly miss you.” – Lacey R.
“RIP, Bobbo. The party in heaven just got much better!” – Ken R.
Sherri Lucas joined St. Louis on the Air to share what Bob loved about art in its many forms, and what they did together, which included creating and publishing “15 Minutes” magazine and getting Zumba certified. She reminisced about simple joys the couple enjoyed when pandemic-era social distancing afforded unique space to be alone together. Sherri also explained why the Sept. 29 event planned for Bob is a life celebration rather than a memorial, an occasion calling for music, an open mic and a special dress code: Hawaiian or bowling shirts, and Way Out Club tees.
Sherri said Bob’s party in heaven will be a characteristically musical, energetic affair.
“I know there's going to be rock and roll. I know there's going to be Bob doing the Bobbo-later [with] our friends that have passed. … Bob's going to be dancing. He's going to be having a big party. He's celebrating like he always did. He always celebrated.”
Related Event
What: Bob Putnam Celebration of Life
When: 2-6 p.m. Sept. 29
Where: Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, MO 63103
To hear about the many forms of art Bob Putnam made and supported in St. Louis, what made him and Sherri “couple goals,” and why he got applause at the top of the hill at Laclede’s Landing, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube; or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
