Potts, Lucille "Sid" 1910-2007

POTTS, ROWLAND, MCDOWELL, KINTZINGER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/21/2012 at 20:15:29

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; June 21, 2007

LUCILLE POTTS

Lucille "Sid" Potts, 96, of Grinnell died Saturday, June 16, 2007, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, July 21, at 10 a.m. at the United Church of Christ-Congregational. Private burial will take place at Hazelwood Cemetery. A visitation gathering will be held Thursday, June 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Carman Center at Mayflower. Memorials may be made to Dollars for Scholars, Mayflower Human Needs Fund or Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

The daughter of Frank and Hattie Rowland McDowell, she was born Oct. 19, 1910, in Grinnell. She was dubbed "Sid" by her younger brother Don when he found "Lucille" too difficult to say, and she retained the name throughout her lifetime. She was raised in Grinnell and was a 1928 graduate of Grinnell High School. She attended Quincy Business College in Quincy, Ill., then returned to Grinnell to begin a career in banking at Citizen's National Bank, later known as Poweshiek County National Bank, a Brenton Bank, and currently as Wells Fargo Bank.

She worked in many capacities at the bank including bookkeeper, secretary of new accounts, assistant cashier and vice president of loans, but always felt her principal role was that of public relations for the bank.

On Sept. 15, 1935, she was married to Dick Potts.

She retired in 1975 after 46 years of service to the bank and was elected to the bank's board of directors. She continued to work one day a week for seven more years.

During her career, she was witness to such historical events as the national bank holiday during the depression; was only the second woman to attain the position of officer at any Brenton bank and was president of the National Association of Women Bank Officers.

She was an active member of the Grinnell community, participating in Chapter JB, P.E.O., and the United Church of Christ-Congregational. She was an avid bridge player and loved to travel.

Survivors include her sister-in-law Mari McDowell of Allentown, Pa.; one nephew and two nieces. She also was considered an honorary grandmother to the Kintzinger family of Grinnell. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Dick and one brother Don McDowell.