Joseph Sam Potter

Joseph S. Potter, age 62 of Warren, died Thursday, December 1, 2011 at the St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Macomb Center in Warren. He was born on November 2, 1949 in Detroit, Michigan.To quote his family, Joseph was quite the charmer who 'loved to love the ladies' and had a knack all his own of sharing a little flirtatious fun along life's way. But on one fateful day, a special lady came along that swept him off his feet and the two of them would go on to share 22 years together. On May 5, 1989, he took Alice (nee: Wenson) to be his wife, the woman with whom he would share a loving and feisty relationship that was speckled with all kinds of passion and humor. Some of that feistiness came to be early on when Joseph made his attempt at a marriage proposal to Alice. Lacking a bit of the romance Alice was hoping for, she managed to get him down on one knee to do it right,'and thus, the groundwork was laid from the gentlemanly spirit he truly possessed. Without a doubt, he loved his Alice dearly. Even through the battles with his illness, his most passionate concern was for her care.Joseph was employed as an auditor with the Chrysler Corporation where he extended 42 years of dedicated and loyal service until his retirement. Not only was his hard working ethics prominent while on the job, those same standards were quite evident when he exercised his talents at home through woodworking. If the garage lights were lit, you'd find Joseph out there working diligently on one of his creations in wood. From bookcases, to decorative address plates, and many other variations in between, his skills with woodworking were unique and special. Perhaps the most memorable of his creations came in the form of the urns he designed for his precious dogs who passed which were shaped in the likeness of dog houses. They were truly a work of love from a man who adored his dogs,'and in this case, they were all Bulldogs. To say Joseph doted on his canine companions would be a tremendous understatement. He was loyal to the breed and was an avid supporter of the Detroit Bulldog Rescue foundation. Over the years, he was blessed by the company of five precious girls; Lucy, Elvira, Paige, Diamond, and Dora. When he wasn't working, one of Joseph's favorite pastimes was found in the sport of fishing. Yes, there were the many hours he spent in front of the TV catching a little fishing action and garnering tips for the future. But nothing was better than getting together with his buddy, Rick and heading up to Port Huron to one of their favorite fishing holes. They were always such great times amidst the three F's,'Fishing, Fun and Friendship. Another form of his sporting enjoyment was found in the game of football, and the U of M Wolverines had no better fan than Joseph. And though it wasn't a sport, his outdoorsy spirit and machismo found great appreciation in the world of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Nothing quite says 'manly' like a Harley,'and that was certainly Joe.Another distinct passion was easily found in his appreciation for food & drink. Known by all as the Master of the BBQ, one of his greatest creations on the grill was the infamous 'Beer Butt Chicken.' Not only was it an art watching him exercise his cooking prowess, but it was easily his favorite meal, as well. Joseph was also renowned for his incredible 'sweet tooth' which found its form in anything of the baked goods variety. Cakes, pies, donuts, you name it,'he loved them all. As for the 'drink' aspect, he truly loved his 'Vino!' Being no respecter of brands, he loved them all. Alice recalled how, after just a few glasses of the grape, Joe would proceed to giggle like a school girl,'then would do a face-plant on the couch cushions. It just doesn't get any better than that!Joseph was also revered for his devout patriotism and support of the troops, especially for those who gave their all. He flew the flag proudly, which was accompanied by the flags of his MIA and POW brothers. And lastly, a trait that he'll be long-remembered for was the vast knowledge he possessed. Kind of like the Andy Rooney of the family, he loved to share all kinds of facts with people,'and his opening line was forever, 'Did you know'?' When you heard those words, you knew a little education was right around the corner. But of all these unique and telling traits, the most endearing is the impact he had on his children and grandchildren. He loved them all from deep within, and it showed. Especially with the latter, the world has known no greater doting Grandpa than Joe,'and they were truly 'his life.' The legacy of love he leaves behind is strong and true. He will be missed immensely and loved eternally. He was the beloved husband of Alice. Dear father of Patrick (Jennifer) Krupa, Jamie (Brandy) Krupa, Sean (Christina) Krupa, Timothy (Nikki) Krupa, and Kimberly (Michael) Moyers. Loving grandfather of Zachary, Amanda Rose, Samantha Jo, Chase, Abigail, Jordan, Timothy Jr., MJ, Samantha Nicole, and Alex. Also survived by three siblings.Visitation for Joseph will be held on Saturday, December 3rd from 5-9pm and Sunday from 2-9pm at the D.S. Temrowski & Sons Funeral Home, 30009 Hoover Road at Common (12 1/2 Mile Rd) in Warren. His funeral service will be conducted at 11:00am on Monday at the funeral home. Officiating the service will be Fr. Mike Prince. Memorial donations are welcomed to the Detroit Bulldog Rescue, P.O. Box 284, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080, or the American Cancer Society, 20450 Civic Center Drive, Southfield, MI 48076 - Attention: Memorials Department.Please share memories of Josepf at his guestbook.