Donald Potter Sr. of Dowagiac
Published 6:00 am Monday, November 28, 2016
Feb. 22, 1940 — Nov. 25, 2016
Donald “Jerry” Potter Sr., 76, of Dowagiac, passed away Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph.
A celebration of life service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, at First United Methodist Church of Dowagiac. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery in Dowagiac. Pallbearers will be Juan Hernandez, Craig Lyons, George Lillie, Colby Novar, Patrick Potter and Juan Alex Hernandez. Friends may visit with the family from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at Clark Chapel, 405 Center St., Dowagiac.
Memorial donations may be directed to Cass County Council on Aging, 227 S. Front St., Dowagiac, MI 49047. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at clarkch.com.
Jerry was born Feb. 22, 1940, in Dowagiac, to Donald Melvin Potter and Rosemary (Stage) Potter.
He graduated from Dowagiac High School in 1959, and joined the U.S. Air Force, where he played tuba in the Air Force Band. Upon being honorably discharged from the military, he began a long career as a lineman for General Telephone (GTE), retiring in the mid-1990s.
Donald Potter Sr.
He married Carole Arlene Dobos on May 29, 1965, in Dowagiac. His love of music carried over through his life, and he spent many years playing with the SMC Brass Band. He also enjoyed taking short trips around Michigan, spending time with his family, collecting antiques and ducks. He showed his love for his hometown by collecting bottles from Dowagiac Bottling Works, Dowagiac Farmers Dairy and other Dowagiac memorabilia. Jerry was known to go for a walk and make a new friend or two while out. He enjoyed talking to everyone, friend or stranger.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Alton Lee Potter.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Carole Potter of Dowagiac; two sons, Donald Jerry Jr. (Kimberly) Potter of Goshen, Indiana, and David Arthur Potter of Dowagiac; a daughter, Michelle Lee (Juan) Hernandez of Kalamazoo; a brother, William Clifford Potter of Edwardsburg; and a sister-in-law, Nancy Potter of Dowagiac. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Damien Potter, Alyssa (Jeremy Libera) Potter, Celicia Hernandez, Juan Alex Hernandez, Joseph Hernandez and Cohen Potter; a great-granddaughter, Karmon Libera; and several nieces and nephews.
