Obit: Potter, Russell A. (1926 - 2018)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bertram, Corey, Curtis, Dionne, Gutsch, Lockwood, Marshall, Martin, Peterson, Petska, Potter, Redican, Regal, Robertson, Sharp, Spencer, Stender, Williams

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 12/22/2018

Potter, Russell A. (20 AUG 1926 - 18 DEC 2018)

Russell A. Potter, 92, of Marion passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. at Beil-Didier Funeral Home, 299 S. Main St., Clintonville. Pastor Skip Robertson will officiate and interment will be at Roseland Cemetery in the town of Dupont. Military honors will be provided at the funeral home by members of the VFW Post 664, American Legion Post 63 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 63, all of Clintonville. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home.

Russell Arnold Potter was born on Aug. 20, 1926 in Ladysmith to Ralph and Sara (Peterson) Potter. After graduating from Neenah High School he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and served during WWII from 1943-1946. Russell married Evelyn Martin in 1948 and the couple was blessed with 15 children.

They dairy farmed in the Donald area for many years. Russell also worked at Stanley Corporation and did road construction. On Nov. 20, 1967, Russell was involved in a serious car accident. Due to his injuries he returned to college and earned a degree in industrial engineering.

Russell taught shop at Marion High School in the 1970’s, then worked in sales with National Casein Company in Chicago, Ill., retiring in 1988. Russell was a substitute teacher in the Stanley area until 1996. In 1991 he married Alice Regal who preceded him in death in 2006. In 2008 Russell married Charlotte Bertram at the United Methodist Church in Marion and she preceded him in death in 2015. Russell played baseball, later umpired, hunted and golfed. He enjoyed working with his hands, remodeled several houses and built a home on Otter Lake in Stanley. He loved to play cards, Pinochle, Sheepshead, Euchre, Cribbage and many others. In later years he gardened and was especially proud of his flower beds and yard.

Russell is survived by his 14 children, Dennis (Pat Stender) of Holcombe, Max (Judy Williams) of Gilman, Alan (Betty) of Kingston, Ill., Dale (Vonnie) of Jacksonville, Fla., Penny Dionne of Molalla, Ore., Wayne (Karen) of Big Foot, Texas, Judy Gutsch of Madison, Kay (Glen) Lockwood of Rainier, Ore., Gail (Tim) Marshall of Holcombe, Bonny (Jon) Redican of Rockford, Ill., Ross of Belvidere, Ill., Neal (Lynne Corey) of Big Bend, Lynn (Will) Petska of Lena and Kim (Jim) Curtis of Gilman; 25 grandchildren; step-grandchildren; many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and his brother, Tex Potter of Panama City, Fla.

In addition to his wife, Russell was preceded in death by a son, Gerald Potter (1968); an infant granddaughter, April Gutsch; sisters, Roberta Sharp of Helena, Mont. and Georgena Spencer of Portland, Ore.; brother, Clayton Peterson of Belvidere Ill.; and son-in-law, Frank Dionne of Molalla, Ore.