William Potter

William Granville “Bill” Potter, age 86, of Lansing, MI passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at his home in Lansing where he lived for the past 25 years.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI, on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 11:00 A.M.  Burial will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery, St. Louis, MI. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 6, 2018 from 4-8 P.M. and on Saturday, April 7, 2018 from 10 A.M. until the service at the funeral home.

William was born in Middletown, OH on January 18, 1932 to James W. and Mildred E. (Dumford) Potter.  He graduated from Hamilton Catholic High School in 1950 and then from the University of Dayton in 1955.

Bill started his career in personnel with R. L. Polk in Cincinnati and was Personnel Manager at the home office in Detroit until 1965.  Bill and his family lived in St. Louis, MI for thirty plus years and he was employed as Personnel Director for Alma Products in Alma, MI for nineteen years and also served on the St. Louis School Board for sixteen years.  He was Personnel Director for the Olofsson Corporation in Lansing and retired after sixteen years of service.

Bill was active in statewide education matters, serving as Chair of the Michigan Career Education Commission and was President of the Alma Jaycees.  He was also President of the National Council of Catholic Youth and a member of the US Naval Reserve.

Bill is survived by his wife Wynne Noble Potter; seven children: son James (Karen Wyson) of Concord, NH; daughter Christine (Rick) Potter-Wroblewski of Cincinnati, OH; son Edward (Ann Clancy) of Arlington, VA; son Frank (Brenda Brown) of Palmyra, PA; son Thomas (Jennifer Wolski) of Cincinnati, OH; son Michael (Tracy Williams) of Pigeon, MI; and son Theodore of Florence, KY; fourteen grandchildren; stepdaughters:  Jill Tesman of Frankenmuth, MI; and Hannah Tesman (Sarah Gilden) of Montgomery Village, MD.  He is also survived by exchange student-daughter Marjolein Crins of The Netherlands and former wife and mother of his children Barbara (Syroney) Potter.  He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Marilyn (Eugene) Wagner of Cincinnati, OH.

Memorials in Bill's honor may be made to Greater Lansing Food Bank, 2116 Mint Road, Lansing, MI 48906 or Theodore A. Cutler Public Library, 312 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, MI 48880.  Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI.