William L. Potter

POTTER, TRIMBLE, LARSON

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/11/2009 at 13:43:00

William L. Potter, 82, of 2421 10th Street, Apt. E, died Tuesday, June 9, 2009, at his son’s home in Frisco, Texas, after losing his battle against cancer. Graveside Services will be held Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 10 am at Oak Hill Cemetery in Coralville. Following the service a reception to celebrate his life will be held at the American Legion Post 721, 901 2nd Ave, Coralville. A gathering for family and friends will be held from 4-8 pm on Friday, June 19, at Lensing’s Oak Hill, 210 Holiday Rd. in Coralville. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established at Hill’s Bank and Trust Company, which will be donated to charity.

Bill was born April 14th, 1927 in Des Moines, the son of Dr. Charles H. Potter and Marian Trimble. He was united in marriage to Velva L. Potter on March 11, 1956 in Adair, IA and widowed November 23, 2003. Bill was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and was a friend too all, he will be greatly missed.

Bill was raised in Forest City where he attended high school and later Waldorf College. He worked for the Des Moines Register from 1939 to 1944, until he joined the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1949. He would later join the United States Army in 1961 as part of the 301st Army Field Hospital and served until his honorable discharge in 1964.

Bill worked for Brown Camp Hardware Wholesale from 1951 to 1955 in Des Moines and later Hansen Hardware until 1960 during which time he met his wife.

Bill and his family moved to Coralville in 1960 when he started working as an American Legion Representative at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center until he retired in 1984 to open Kites -N- Stuff in both Coralville and South Amana. He would return to the hardware business from 1986 to 1996 when he joined Lenoch & Cilek and again from 1999 to 2006. During Bill’s break from hardware he worked at the Coral Ridge Mall as the Carousel Operator from 1996 to 1999.

Bill served on the Coralville City Council from 1989 to 1995. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion, Forest City Post 121 and Coralville Post 721. Bill was also a 50 year member of the Mason’s, Forest City Truth Lodge 213 and later Clarksville Lodge 668 of Coralville and a member of St. Marks United Methodist Church.

Bill is survived by three sons; Robert of Henderson, NV, Thomas of Parnell, IA and Toby of Frisco, TX; three grandchildren; Travis, Rachel, and Abigail and one great grandchild Mya; one sister Beverly Larson of Forest City. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Velva and two siblings, Betty and Robert.