Potter
John William “Bill” Potter
October 5, 1932 – July 8, 2024
Bill passed away Monday, July 8th after a brief hospital stay.
Born October 5, 1932, in Beardstown, Illinois, to Clarence Elmer Potter and Dorothy Hannah Broeker Potter.
Bill graduated from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Texas. He studied at Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1954 and served two years in the medical corps in the hospital at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He worked in Orthotics and Prosthetics and held many certifications. He worked at VAMC in Temple, and was Chief of Orthotics in the Orthotics and Prosthetics lab at VAMC Dallas. He received patents for several accomplishments and made many innovations in Prosthetics and Orthotics. He retired From VAMC after 37 years and continued in private practice at Cedar Creek Orthotics and Prosthetics, in Gun Barrel City, Texas, as well as Texas Department of Corrections clinics in Palestine and Gatesville, and Federal Corrections in Seagoville, Tx, until his retirement in 1997.
Bill served on the Gun Barrel City Volunteer Fire Department, several years as Assistant Chief, and as a water rescue diver. He also applied his self-taught welding, electrical, and manufacturing skills to use with the fire department, including repairs to the hose-drying racks, fire-fighting tools/axes, and the creation of “The Potter Tool”, used to penetrate mobile home metal walls while delivering water through the tool into the inside of the home where entry was dangerous and difficult.
As a Christian (Methodist), Bill lived his faith by participating in committees, work crews, and many missions and trips with First United Methodist in Mabank, Texas, and missions including the College Lunch Ministry at First United Methodist in Belton, Texas. He was also a BSA Scoutmaster in Temple for several years in the 60s.
Bill is survived by his wife, Delpha Lauderdale Potter, his sons Clarence W. Potter (Valerie) and Glen S. Potter, his step-children Leslie Huff (Phyllis), Candace Huff Wilcox (Ronnie), and Valerie Huff Farwell (John), his cousin Gale Renner, seven grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his mother Dorothy (Broeker) Potter, step-mother Ruth (Sleight) Potter, daughter Betty Ann Potter, father Clarence Elmer Potter, granddaughter Natalie Annette Potter, cousins Ghlee Renner and Glen Renner (Glenda), and son Frank Arthur Potter (Eva).
Memorial services were planned for Belton First United Methodist Church, Sunday July 14th at 2 p.m. in Belton, as well as a future date to be announced in Gun Barrel City.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.
