Robert Lyman Potter, MD, PhD

Robert Lyman Potter died in his home on January 23, 2026 after a 5-month bout with lymphoma, at the age of 87. His life was characterized by a vigorous intellectual curiosity, community-minded leadership, and tireless service to others.

Robert was born December 2, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan to Harlan and Dorothea (Lyman) Potter. He grew up in Ortonville, Michigan and Pike County, Illinois, the third of four children. The family moved to Kansas City, Kansas in 1947, and he spent the majority of his life there as an active and engaged member of the community. Robert met Carol Schlenker in the fourth grade at Welborn School, where legend has it, he wrote a play in which he cast himself as George Washington, and Carol as Martha. They were married two days after Christmas their senior year in college, and celebrated a 66th anniversary less than a month before Robert's passing. Their life together was one of deeply shared values and true partnership.

Dr. Potter's professional life combined medical practice, teaching, and bioethics consultation. He received his M.D. from University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1964, and was board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics, practicing medicine for over thirty years in a variety of settings, including private practice at Chelsea Health Services, and as medical director for four nursing homes. His base of operation for most of this time was Bethany Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, where he was central in its Medical Education program for decades, as well as Medical Staff President and other leadership roles. He was elected as Fellow of the American College of Physicians in 1991. Countless patients benefitted from his medical expertise, as well as the remarkable concern, attention and respect he extended to those in his care. The role of the doctor, he would say, is to "cure sometimes, comfort always." This passion for better treatment was the foundation of his work as an educator, both inside and outside of the medical profession. He was an Associate Clinical Professor at University of Kansas School of Medicine from 1976 to 2004. He also taught at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City from 1976 to 2004. To the very end he considered himself more a teacher than a medical practitioner.

His intimacy with existential issues as a physician fueled a lifelong quest to incorporate ethical and spiritual dimensions into the teaching, practice and understanding of medicine. In 1985 he enrolled as a full-time graduate student at the University of Chicago Divinity School and earned a Ph.D. in religion, psychology, and ethics. From 1994 until his retirement in 2004 he was bioethics scholar, instructor, and consultant for the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City, MO, publishing and speaking extensively around the country as an advocate for the inclusion of medical ethics into every part of health care. From the time he moved to Oregon in 2004 to 2014 he was Senior Scholar for the Center for Ethics in Healthcare at Oregon Health and Science University. His late-career roles included scientific adviser for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s “Science for Seminaries” grant project at Multnomah Biblical Seminary, and Adjunct Faculty at Warner Pacific School of Nursing. Up until the last few months of his life, he published a weekly newsletter on ethical topics and engaged a seminar group in online discussion. He regularly bestowed age-appropriate "ethics conversations" on his young grandsons -- and anyone else within earshot -- eager to promote his passion for ethical and spiritual thinking.

Religion was foundational in Robert's life from the very beginning. He was a dedicated and active member of the United Methodist Church, first at University UMC in Kansas City, Kansas, and later at Gresham UMC (Oregon), where he sang in the choir, led major remodeling projects, served in leadership roles, preached from the pulpit, and taught Sunday school. He embodied his faith through tangible expressions of community leadership. He was on the board of several organizations in the Kansas City area -- notably Clinicare Home Health Services and later Visiting Nurses Association -- as well as President of the Chelsea Community Council for six years in support of the neighborhood where his medical office was located. He possessed a remarkable singing voice -- "a gift" he said -- and he eagerly shared his love of music on Sunday morning, as well as in countless performances with choirs, including the Chelsea Community Choir which he founded in the 1970s. After moving to Oregon in 2004 he immersed himself in volunteerism, especially his work with Habitat for Humanity, where he relished the liveliness and purpose of a construction site. For his family and neighbors, he was always ready to help out with a house project, and for years operated his 24-hour "Robert's Taxi Service" with free rides to PDX for family members.

He is preceded in death by his sister Marilyn and brother Marvin; and survived by sister Amy Beth. He is remembered with fondness as a dedicated and loving father by sons Eldon (Catherine) Potter and Bryan (Christy Strange) Potter, all of Portland, Oregon. He was beloved grandpa to Isaac, Simon and Miles Potter. A memorial will be held Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 pm, at Gresham United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers gifts may be made to Habitat for Humanity Portland Region, in memory of Robert Potter.