Jesse C. Potter Jr.

Our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Jesse Caldwell Potter, Jr. was called home to be with his Lord and Savior and reunited with his Valentine at the age of 82 on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at approximately 9:00 P.M. in Denison, Texas.

The family will be receiving guests at Bratcher Funeral Home from 7:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. on Friday, February 17, 2012.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at Parkside Baptist Church beginning at 12:00 P.M. with Dr. Chet Haney officiating. A graveside service will follow at Cedarlawn Memorial Park, 5805 Texoma Parkway, Sherman, TX 75090.

Pallbearers will be Forest Mayes, Buddy Barns, Dewy Watson, James Taul, Jack Galloway, Stack Lambert, Michael Fitzpatrick and Bill Burkhead. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Alexander and Jim Harp.

Jesse was born November 27, 1929 in Maco, North Carolina and enlisted in the United States Air Force at the age of 17 in January 1947. During his service he met and married his loving wife Hilda Liebig at Ramstein, Germany on March 21, 1952. While still in Germany, Jesse and his wife Hilda adopted their two children, Richard M. Potter and Linda J. (Potter) Thomas. During his 20 ½ years in the Air Force, he worked with missionaries in Viet Nam in 1962 and Thailand 1965-1966. His military service took him to Thailand, Viet Nam, England, Italy, Germany, Tripoli North Africa, Perrin AFB, Denison, Texas and he retired in August 1967 at Fort Walton Beach AFB, Florida as a Technical Sergeant. After retiring from the Air Force, Jesse returned to Denison, Texas and began working for E-Systems, Inc. located in Greenville, Texas and eventually retired after 24 ½ years.

In Denison, Jesse was a member of the Parkside Baptist Church, where he served the church and community as a Deacon for 36 years, he drove the church bus for 35 years, and taught Sunday School classes. Jesse also delivered meals for Meals on Wheels in Denison for over 10 years and drove buses for Kiddie Kampus for 9 years. Jesse was an avid supporter of many charities, which included the last 6 years of faithful monthly contributions to charities, such as Bibles for the World, Smile Train and Abandoned Babies.

Jesse is survived by sisters Irene Davis of Wilmington, North Carolina, Jesse Mae Sergeant of West Columbia, South Carolina; daughter Linda Jean Thomas and husband Aubrey Charles Thomas, Jr. of Denison, Texas; granddaughter Allison Lee-Ann Essin and husband Samuel Edward Essin of Sherman, Texas and his three great-granddaughters Ella Grace Essin, Kimber Faith Essin and Logann Hope Essin, all of Sherman, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years Hilda Liebig Potter (deceased October 18, 2003); mother Janie Lee Watson Potter Williams; father Jesse Caldwell Potter, Sr.; step-father David Henry Williams; sisters Hazel Duff and Bernice Briles; brother George (Jimmy Lee) Williams and son Richard Michael Potter.

The family would like to offer a special thank you to the staff at Texoma Medical Center and Texoma Specialty Care Center.

Arrangements are entrusted to Bratcher Funeral Home, 401 W. Woodard St., Denison, TX 75020 (903) 465-2323. On line condolences may be made to the family at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com.