Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Potter

Jerry Potter died Saturday, December 6, 2014, at his home in Gilbert, Maricopa County, Arizona following a brave battle with cancer. He was 70 years old. Jerry was born Gerald Wayne Potter on December 27, 1943, to his parents, the late Eugene John and Margaret (Hamblin) Potter. Jerry's early years were spent in Farmington, New Mexico where attended Kindergarten through his senior year and graduated from Farmington High School's Class of 1962. While in high school, he played on the football team, enjoying, at the same time, basketball, tennis, swimming and any other sport he could think of. He learned mechanics under the tutelage of his father and loved working on automobiles. In 1964, Jerry was called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Argentine Mission. Upon his return from Argentina, he attended Brigham Young University (BYU), where he studied to be a mechanical engineer. While there, he met his future wife, Rebecca Charlene "Becky" Bundock. On September 7, 1967, they were sealed, for time and all eternity, in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Jerry spent the first few years of his marriage at various jobs, until he found his true calling as a carpenter. Over the next 45 years, he became an accomplished builder and cabinet maker and was highly respected in his chosen profession. During many of those years, he owned his own construction company and cabinet shop. He was an ethical and hard working man, and passed along his work ethic to his children by inviting them to work with him in his shop. His interests and hobbies, when he wasn't busy working, included a variety of sports, and on any given Saturday, he could be found sitting comfortably in his favorite chair, rooting for his alma mater. He enjoyed all things outdoors; especially camping, hunting and fishing. Jerry's greatest pride and joy came from the children that filled his home, and their children. And they, in return, loved him; especially his sense of humor and his poetry recitations. If he wasn't cracking a joke or reciting a poem, he was singing a song. He had a song, poem or joke for every occasion and, even during his courageous two-year-long battle with cancer, he never stopped making his family laugh. Jerry is survived by his wife of 47 years, Becky Potter of Gilbert, Arizona; 7 children: Randi (Steve) Buell of Queen Creek, Arizona, Marcy (Dirk) Burr of Mesa, Arizona, Stephanie (Christopher) Walker of Queen Creek, Arizona, Natalie (Ammon) Carpenter of Gilbert, Arizona, Scott (Ruth Gordon) Potter of Queen Creek, Arizona, Brendan (Calli Lewis) Potter of Gilbert, Arizona, Ginny (Colin) Moses of Mesa, Arizona; 2 brothers: Bob (Cheryl) Potter of Hollis, New Hampshire, David (Camilla) Potter of Durango, Colorado and is also survived by his 26 grandchildren. Along with his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by a brother, Ronald Potter and by his sister, Rosalyn Potter. The public visitation for Jerry will be from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Thursday, December 11, 2014, at the Crossroads Ward Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1155 E. Ray Road in Gilbert, Arizona. The funeral service will begin 10:00 A.M., Friday, December 12, 2014, also at the church, where additional visitation will begin 1 hour prior. The concluding service and interment will immediately follow at the San Tan Memorial Gardens, 22425 E. Cloud Road in Queen Creek, Arizona.