Wesley James Potter

Asheville ~ Lt. Col. Wesley J. Potter USAF (Ret.), of 329 Kenilworth Road, passed away Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at his home. Born February 20, 1919 in Wilmington, Delaware, Col. Potter was the son of the late Charles Wesley and Mollie Burgess Smith Potter. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Dorothy Alexander Potter, his brother Charles Potter, his sister, Mildred Potter Straub and an infant sister. Col. Potter graduated from Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania in June 1937. Upon graduation, he received an appointment to the US Naval Academy but was unable to accept it due to family circumstances. He began his service to our country as an employee of the Census Bureau in Washington, DC. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp on March 20, 1941. He was later selected for OCS and graduated from the program on December 19, 1942. Col. Potter was a veteran of World War II with service in the European Theatre. He was assigned to the Medical Administrative Corp, 157 th Medical Dispensary, Aviation; 15th Air Force Supply Corp, Orta Nova, Italy. He served as the Malaria Control Officer in that unit. At the conclusion of the war, he was appointed to the Officers' Reserve Corp, Army of the United States. He served in the Army Reserves until the creation of the United States Air Force at which time he chose transfer to the 9943rd Air Reserve Squadron. Col. Potter retired from the USAF Reserves on February 20, 1979 after 38 years of service. In civilian life, Col. Potter came to Asheville in 1948 as purchasing agent for the newly formed Memorial Mission Hospital. He remained in that position until his retirement from the hospital in 1981. Col. Potter was a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, chairman of the steering committee that formed the church and a long time elder. He was elected as the first lay moderator of the Asheville Presbytery in 1973. Col. Potter was the former chairman of the City of Asheville Civil Service Commission. He was a Republican Precinct Judge for many years and was a candidate for Asheville City Council. He also served on the Buncombe County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Col. Potter was a member of the Air Force Association and a charter sponsor of the Air Force and WWII memorials in Washington, DC. He was also a member of the Lower Merion High School Alumni Association. Col. Potter is survived by his daughters; Cynthia Potter Smith, Ph.D and husband Durham of Lake Wylie, SC and Lynda Potter Fagan and husband Michael of Asheville, NC, his granddaughter, Shanon Fagan of Asheville, NC, granddaughter, Erin Fagan of Washington, DC and grandson, Matthew Smith and wife Sonya of Clover, SC. He is also survived by nieces; Sarah Pollock, Harriet Ann Straub Hartley, Ann Lynn Pot-ter, Charlene Potter and nephews; Robert Suther, Wesley Straub, Charles Potter and Randy Potter as well as several great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery with military honors being provided by a detachment from Shaw Air Force Base. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6:00 – 7:30 P.M. at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the TC Roberson Air Force JROTC Scholarship Fund in care of Col. Brian King 250 Overlook Road, Asheville, NC 28803. The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to the many friends who provided support and assistance to the Colonel in the past months.