Jack Bishop Potter's Obituary
Jack Bishop Potter, 89 of Fredericksburg passed away Wednesday February 29, 2012 at Woodmont Center after a brief illness.
He was born May 14, 1922 (Mother’s Day) in Jet Oklahoma; the son of the late Elmer and Irene Potter.
Both sets of his grandparents were original settlers (Sooners) of the Cherokee Strip land rush. He was an all-state high school football and basketball athlete, Valedictorian of his high school class and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and aboard one of the first ships to enter Tokyo Bay after the Armistice.
Following the war he began a career in the new Electronics Industry of Computer Science. One of the first computers he helped to design and build for Hewlett-Packard Co. is in the Smithsonian.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis while working for Norad in Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs Co. he was on lockdown for 13 days until the crisis passed. He retired from Harris Corporation in 1986.
Jack was preceded in death by his loving wife of 51 years, Millie (Johnson), a baby daughter (Diana Louise Potter), and his younger brother, Donald Dean Potter.
He is survived by his daughter, Vicki (Frank) Hannold of Fredericksburg Va., son, Mark Jack (Karen) Potter of Highlands Ranch Co., also four grandchildren, Karyn (Kevin) Runey, Frank Jack (Laurie) Hannold, and James and Christopher Potter, also three great-grandchildren, Grayson and Bryce Runey, and Reese Hannold. He is also survived by his beloved younger sister, Betty Collier of Lawrence, Kansas and many nieces and nephews.
He will be buried Thursday March 8, 2012 at Culpeper National Cemetery. Services will be private.
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