Longtime Carson City educator Pat Potter, 80, dies

Nevada Appeal Staff Report

Pat Potter, former Carson City educator and chair of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees, died Thursday, Aug. 5 at age 80.

Born in Hapeville, Ga., on Sept. 17, 1929, to Vincent and Mable Brock Radcliff, Patricia Ann Radcliff received a bachelor's degree in education from Georgia State College for Women in 1951, and taught in school districts across rural Appalachia.

While serving on the staff of Sen. Richard B. Russell, D-Ga., in Washington, D.C., she met Robert Joseph Potter, who was on the staff of Sen. Alan Bible, D-Nev. They married in 1957 and moved to Carson City in 1959.

In 1969, Potter began a 25-year career with the Carson City School District. She taught at Bordewich-Bray Elementary from 1968 to 1974, then Carson Middle School until 1993. She received her master's degree in education from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1981.

Throughout her life she was involved in civic and political organizations. She joined the John C. Fremont Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1972 in order to advocate for inclusion of African-Americans.

She was a Cub Scout den mother, president of the American Red Cross Gray Ladies and president of the St. Teresa of Avila Parent-Teacher Association.

She was a member and chairwoman of the Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission for many years, and a longtime member of the Nevada State Education Association and the National Education Association.

Potter was active in the Democratic Party. She served as chair of the Carson City Democratic Central Committee from 1972 to 1974 and the Northern Nevada committee reviewing the 1972 Democratic National Convention reforms.

She served on the Rules Committee for the 1972 Democratic National Convention and as a delegate to the 1972 and the 2000 National Democratic Conventions.

She was elected to the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1992. In 1992 she served as the chairwoman.

In 1982, Soroptimist International recognized Potter for her work in advancing the status of women. In 1980, she was initiated into Delta Kappa Gamma, the professional honorary society of women educators.

Potter is preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her partner Timothy Bissell; children Robert Lee and wife Eileen; E. Julian "Betsy" and wife Mirian; Christina Bryan and Thomas Brock; and grandchildren Kacey, Alexander, Nicholas, Anna and Katryna Potter.

A private memorial will be held at a later date.