Donald Rayford Poteat

He is survived by his wife Nancy Poteat; daughter RaeLana Poteat and her husband David Stutts; grandsons Ian Stutts and Adam Stutts; brother Henry Eugene Poteat and his wife Elizabeth; brother Milton Oscar Poteat and his wife Martena; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond White and Mildred Hendrix Poteat; his first wife, Carole Lane Swicegood Poteat; his sister Lois Poteat Smith and her husband Lee Smith; and his sister Lorene Poteat Barnhardt and her husband Caleb Barnhardt.

Don was born in Salisbury, NC, on March 15, 1939, and enjoyed a childhood full of farm life, sports, music, and fun with his four siblings, many cousins, and beloved parents and grandparents. He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1957 and Mars Hill College in 1961. He served in the U.S. Army for two years and was stationed in South Korea. He then graduated in 1967 from North Carolina State University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering.

He married Carole Lane Swicegood, also of Salisbury, in 1966. They eventually settled in Charlotte, where their daughter, RaeLana, was born in 1972. Following Carole’s early death, Don married Nancy Sue Thomasson, of Charlotte, in 1983. The couple enjoyed 42 years of marriage before Don’s passing.

Don had a 33-year career as an electrical engineer with Westinghouse (later Siemens), traveling primarily across the Carolinas and Georgia, working in substations and in various industrial settings. He earned an outstanding reputation as an honest, hard worker who would go the extra mile to solve problems.

Outside of work, he was a devoted church member throughout his life. He attended Enon Baptist in Salisbury, Hickory Grove Baptist in Charlotte, and for many years, Hawthorne Lane United Methodist in Charlotte. He coached and played on church sports teams, served on church committees, and found joy singing in church choirs. Perhaps most importantly to him, he taught youth Sunday School and served with Nancy as a youth group leader at Hawthorne Lane, making an impact on the lives of many young people. He and Nancy organized and chaperoned popular annual youth trips to destinations across the country. And many former Sunday School members still recall memorizing the names of all the books of the Bible under his tutelage.

In his retirement, Don returned to his agricultural roots by embracing a passion for restoring tractors. He was partial to Farmalls, and he immersed himself in bringing the 1950 Farmall Super “A” tractor he had driven as a teenager back to glory. He was an active member of the Stumptown Tractor Club for more than a decade and worked tirelessly to plan and execute their annual tractor shows. He also enjoyed going to his and Nancy’s beach condo on Oak Island, a location he chose in large part because so many family members visited the area frequently.

He also found great joy in his two grandsons, Ian and Adam. He loved playing with them when they were younger and hearing about their sports and school exploits as they grew up. As an avid N.C. State fan who passed his passion for watching Wolfpack basketball to his daughter (and thus her family), he was particularly proud that his grandson, Ian, chose to attend N.C. State in 2025.

Don was devoted to his family and friends. Anyone who knew him knew they could ask him for help and count on him. He believed in charitable actions and serving people. He was good-natured, generous, and kind. And he will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all those who loved him.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church.