Donald Potter

Obituary: Donald J. Potter

1934--2022

Donald J. Potter of Independence, Kansas was born in 1934 to Helen Trembley Potter and James Leroy Potter of Iowa City, Iowa. He passed peacefully on Monday, April 25, 2022. He is survived by his son, Steve (who was by his side) daughter-in-law Susan, daughters Sharon and Karen, son-in-law Don Moser, sister Mary Ann and brother-in-law Richard Isaacs—and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A graduate of Rutgers, Don also had an MA from Berkley. He spoke Italian, German and Spanish, loved opera and had traveled extensively by motorcycle in Europe. But the wheat fields and friendly, salt-of-the earth people of small-town Kansas called him home to the state where he’d spent so many summers as a boy.

In 1969, Don moved with his new bride Barbara to Independence from Highland Park, New Jersey to take over the Napa Auto Parts franchise on Main St. After over fifty years, he felt that he was 100% Kansan—and often urged the rest of the family to move to Independence, because he felt it was the best place in the world.

Don enjoyed camping and traveling the southwest with Barbara after his retirement, as well as boating and four-wheeling in Colorado with his friends and family—and he had a passion for raspberry Bismarck pastries.

He was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church, where he sang in the choir.

Visitation will be held at Potts Chapel on Friday, April 29 from 5-7 p.m.  Services will be held at First Presbyterian on Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 o’clock a.m. Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.