Richard Wendell Potter

Richard W. Potter was born May 21, 1932 in Rapid City, South Dakota to Sue (Pitz) Potter and Andrew W. Potter at the Rapid City General Hospital. At which time his parents cared for him in a boxcar trailer near highway construction near Faith in NW S.D. They then moved to Pierre, South Dakota. Here is where his first sister was born and died shortly afterward. He attended Grade School in Pierre, Gettysburg and Rapid City, South Dakota. He went to Pierre Junior High School and graduated from Pierre Senior High School in 1950. The fall of 1950 he began college in Engineering at South Dakota State College, Brookings and transferred to Dakota Wesleyan University. His years there were interrupted by 2 years Military Service with the Army in Korea. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Speech and Dramatic Arts in 1956. He went on to Syracuse University, NY to receive his Master's Degree in Television. He married Lavonne Sagan and lived in Rapid City where he worked as a Production Director for KOTA-TV, a CBS affiliate. Three months after his son, Mark's birth in 1959 they moved to Corvallis, Oregon where Dick began his career with Oregon Public Broadcasting, at that time KOAC-TV. His daughter Karie was born in 1963. Lavonne and he were divorced in 1973. May 17,1975 he married Susan Anderson Hoard of Corvallis, who was born in Harrisburg along with her daughter Laura 18 and son David 15. In 1981 KOAC TV Studios in Corvallis were closed and his job caused them to move to Portland, Oregon where they lived and worked for ten years. Susan worked medical research at OHSU & the VA. Richard retired in 1991 and he and Susan returned to their home in Corvallis. Richard and Susan purchased and operated an Adult Foster Home for three years while taking care of her father. While here he built a shop and a garden shed, a deck and a number of storage spaces. Susan and Richard have been deacons of the First Christian Church, and have spent 7 years of their life performing as Clowns. Richard is a Master Mason and a Life Member of Mary's River Lodge #221 where he has served three times as Master of the Lodge. He also held several offices in the Lodge, recipient of the Hiram Award. He was an adult Boy Scout leader and has been a Camp Master for Troop 1, Corvallis and as a unit advisor for Troop 186. He helped the scouting program by writing a Cast Iron & Charcoal Cookbook as a fund raiser for Troop 186. Richard and Susan have been in Germany, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Burlington, Tucson and Maui. Surviving are his wife Susan, his son Mark Steven Potter, Corvallis and his daughter Karie Lynn Hutchings, Keizer, Oregon and his step children David Hoard, Albany, Oregon and Laura Hoard Holloway Ice of NE Salem, OR. He is survived by 5 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Also surviving are his sister Audrae Ann Potter, of Gainesville, Florida. His father Andrew and his mother, Sue Potter, Pierre, South Dakota both died in 2001. He loved the colors green and brown, wood work, computer technology and music. Upon occasion he got a kick out of performing magic and clowning around as a clown named "Patches" and along with his wife "Sunshine" being in parades, at family reunions, birthday parties and as "Patches of Sunshine Clowns" at the Benton County Fair and afterward visiting nursing homes. He loved filberts, dried cranberries, coffee with special friends, travel, a fine meal, working in his shop, humorous stories and a good joke. He loved the outdoors, camping, fishing, cooking outdoors, gadgets, close friends, and the love of his wife and life itself. In lieu of flowers he asks you to take time, in his name, to visit the elderly, especially those you know. Memorial gifts should go to the Scholarship Fund of Mary's River Lodge #221 of Corvallis. A Memorial Service will be held 2:00PM Saturday October 19, 2024 at First Christian Church located at 602 SW Madison Avenue, Corvallis OR 97333. Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, But rather an opening in the sky where the lights of our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy.

Tributes

Richard Wendell Potter

May 21, 1932 - September 24, 2024