Roger Nelson Potter

1917 - 1990  (73 years)

• Name	Roger Nelson Potter
  Born	4 Apr 1917	Iowa, USA
  Gender	Male
  Died	20 Nov 1990	Spencer Municipal Hospital, Spencer, Clay County, Iowa, USA   [1]
  Buried	23 Nov 1990	Pleasant View Cemetery, Hartley, O'Brien County, Iowa, USA   [2]
  Person ID	I220982	Suedpfalz
  Last Modified	24 Feb 2019

  
  

  Father	James Nelson Potter,   b. 9 Jul 1884, McCook, Red Willow County, Nebraska, USA
  Mother	Hattie Yockey,   b. 1 Jan 1882, Iowa, USA ,   d. 7 Apr 1917, Iowa, USA  (Age 35 years)
  Family ID	F34640	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ada Lucille Coffman,   b. 7 May 1917, Larrabee, Cherokee County, Iowa, USA ,   d. 21 Mar 2001, Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa, USA  (Age 83 years)
  Married	15 Jul 1942	Texas, USA
  Children	1. James Potter   2. Richard Potter   3. Carol Potter   4. Susan Potter
  Last Modified	1 May 2018
  Family ID	F80391	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Grandpa's mother, Hattie Yockey, suffered from Bright's Desease and died three days after his birth. His father, James Nelson Potter, blamed his son for his wife's death. He ignored Grandpa and shirked all duty in bringing him up. Fortunately, Grandpa's aunt Pauline and her husband, Ralph Rawson, took Grandpa and raised him. Grandpa lived in Hornick, Iowa, until 1921 when the Rawsons moved to Onawa. The next year they moved to Turin and then to Blencoe, where Grandpa entered junior high. His senior year he moved back to Onawa where he graduated from high school in 1934. After attending Iowa University in 1934 and 1935, he was forced to stay out a year and work in order to be able to go on with his studies. Returning to the University in 1936, he scraped by financially by holding part-time jobs. He graduated from Iowa U. Law School in 1941 with high distinction. He passed the Iowa state bar examination, and placed second of all candidates taking the test. He enlisted in the Navy that same year and served his country until 1945, when he was released with the rank of Lieutenant, Senior Grads. In 1946 he established a law practice in Hartley, and shortly therafter moved his family to that town. The Potters are reputed to be descenants of the great English admiral, Lord Nelson. It is because of this belief that the eldest son of each Potter was given the middle name of Nelson. Grandpa Potter's family is the only one that did not follow the tradition, naming my dad, James Roger Potter. Andrea Potter

  
  

• Sources

  [S888] Social Security Death Index 1935 - Current, (www.ancestry.com). Name: R. N. Potter SSN: 329-05-6663 Last Residence: 51346 Hartley, Obrien, Iowa, United States of America Born: 7 Apr 1917 Died: 20 Nov 1990 State (Year) SSN issued: Illinois (Before 1951) [S927] Obituary. Roger Nelson Potter 1917 - 1990 The Daily Reporter, Spencer, Iowa. Friday, November 23, 1990. ; 2. Services for Roger Potter, 73, of Hartley, will be Friday at 2 p.m. in the United Methodist Church in Hartley with the Rev. Melvin Ammon officiating. Casket bearers will be Don Treimer, Duane Kolpin, Don Meyer, Dennis Harms, Roger Westphal and Mark Steinmetz. Honorary casket bearers will be Bill Loder, Ingwer Hansen, Robert Hansen, Don Hansen, Virgil Treimer, Vern Jacobson, Cloy Hirt, Eldon Paulsen and Jerry Johnson. Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery, Hartley. A military presentation of the flag will be held at the graveside. The Baumgarten Funeral Home of Hartley is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Potter died Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Spencer Municipal Hospital in Spencer. He was born April 7, 1917 at Alta, the son of James Nelson and Hattie Yockey Potter. His mother died when he was three days old. He was raised by his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Rawson of Onawa. Mr. Potter graduated from Onawa High School in 1934 and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1941, passing the bar exam in the same year. In July 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve Air Corps and received his commission later that month as an ensign. He was discharged in 1946 as a lieutenant j.g. He served on the aircraft carrier VC 76 as a legal officer and saw combat duty in the Pacific. On July 15, 1942 he married Lucile Coffman at Corpus Christi, Texas. Mr. Potter started practicing law in Hartley in 1946 and continued until he retired in 1982. He as a member of the United Methodist Church of Hartley, the Iowa State Bar Association and the O?Brien County Bar, and the American Legion, Arthur Kirchhoff Post. He served as city attorney for several years; was on the Harley School Board; and served as adjutent for the Hartley Legion. Mr. Potter received his lifetime membership in the Hartley Chamber of Commerce and served on various committees at Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister. Mr. Potter is survived by his wife; two sons, James of Storm Lake and Richard of Chapel Hill, N.C., along with their wives Jeri and Alicia; two daughters, Carol Potter, New Orleans, La., and Susan Enzie, Iowa City; and two grandchildren.