Donald Wayne Potter

Funeral services for Donald Wayne Potter, 83, Lawrence, will be at 10:30 am Thursday at Lawrence Heights Christian Church, with the Rev. Steve Koberlein officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. Mr. Potter died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, at his home.
He was born Aug. 1, 1930, in Marion, Kan., the son of John B. and Ruth E. Pierce Potter. He spent his early years in Herington, Kan., and later moved with his family to Lawrence, where he graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1949. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, earning numerous medals and awards. After his honorable discharge in Dec., 1953, he attended the University of Kansas, where he met and married his first wife, Allois Mary Twigg on Jun. 6, 1955, and raised their family here. Don was proud of his family’s participation in Lawrence Aquahawks and football. Don worked as an equipment operator for Douglas County Public Works, a chemist for Callery Chemical, and a process engineer for Boeing until 1962, when he bought his first service station, Potter’s 66, at 23rd & Louisiana St. This began his entrepreneurship, which included three service stations, a body shop, and Hertz Rent-a-Car, which he continued to operate until his retirement. After Allois passed away on June 7, 1986, he met and married Marie Galluzzi on Jan. 22, 1994, and they shared nearly 20 loving years together. Throughout his life, he was an active member of Sertoma, receiving his 30 year pin and the Sertoman of the Year award, as well as a founder and longtime member of Lawrence Heights Christian Church. In his later years, his passions included raising roses, bird watching, KU athletics, meeting with his LMHS alumni group, participating with Marie in the Christmas Tour of Homes, and volunteering at the Lawrence Visitor’s Center.
Survivors include his wife, Marie, of the home; his children, Stacy Orr and her three children, Erin, Kevin, and Kaitlyn and their families, Lynn Potter, his wife Nancy, and their three children, Dustin, Nikki, and Cassandra and their families, and Sheryl Denny and her husband John; and Marie’s four children, Greg, Annette, Gary, and Dan Galluzzi and their families; a nephew, Mark Coates, and a niece, Debbie Fitzgerald; 20 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Douglas Wayne Potter in 1981, and a sister, Juanita Coates.
The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:30 – 8 pm, and Thursday from 9:30 – 10:30 am, both at Lawrence Heights Christian Church. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Lawrence Heights Christian Church building fund, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com.
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