Daisy Potter

Funeral services for Daisy Potter, 93, of Gilmer will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 2, 2014 at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer with Larry W. Osborne, Steve Dean and Barbara Proctor officiating. Interment will be in the Sunset Memorial Park in Gilmer. Arrangements are under the direction of Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. Daisy Jean Potter (nee Penick-Shaver) was born to Berdie Lee and Arthur J Penick on the gulf coast of Texas in Goosecreek (Baytown) October 28, 1920. She died on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at the age of 93, having lived all but 6 years of her life in Texas, and 56 in Gilmer. Her early years were spent in her grandparent"s roughneck boarding house, where oil-field wildcatters were housed during the petroleum boom. In 1930, Daisy and her brother Charles and parents moved to Haifa, which is in present-day Israel, where her Step-Father was instrumental in the construction of the American-Arabian pipeline. Having missed the initial phases of the Great Depression, they returned in 1933 and she graduated from Regan High School in Houston "the Heights" Texas. Daisy worked in downtown Houston from 1938 " 1942 for a local car dealership and then became a stenographer and secretary for the war department regional office in Houston, where she remained employed until her marriage to Richard S. Potter on August 26, 1945. They subsequently moved to Austin, Texas where Richard attended The University of Texas, working nights as a janitor in secured offices of the Capitol building and Daisy worked for Bergstrom Air Force Base. Upon Richard"s graduation in 1949, they began a series of moves between Houston and Gilmer, Texas as Mr. Potter, the late Jake Rowe and the late Bruce Blount began Gilmer Potteries, Inc. Their final and permanent move to Gilmer was in the mid-1950s and Daisy was welcomed into the Bluebonnet club by Janice Graves, Sarah Greene and other native Gilmerites. Daisy"s many years of civic and cultural volunteerism began in the 50"s and 60"s with the Bluebonnet Club, local and national election/precinct duties, and Camp Fire Girls, where she was both local and eventual regional officer. She sought involvement with the East Texas Yamboree, where she worked with pageant and court details, and the Chamber of Commerce. Statewide, in the early 70"s, she embraced long-term involvement with the Texas Folklife Festival, held annually on the grounds of what was once a world"s fair in San Antonio, and was a long-time ambassador for their not-for-profit parent organization, The Institute of Texas Cultures. Through her involvement with this Festival, she, Richard and the late Jack "Spot" Baird evolved as the team of Opossomologists and the Rhonesboro International Opossum Queen for all ages. Daisy was active in Gilmer Buckeye Band Boosters, the University of Texas Alumni club with Potter and the Rotary International where she supported Richard"s involvement as a Rotary Ann. During the 80"s Miss Daisy, who was then in her 60"s, enjoyed her grandsons in Houston, Brian, born in 1982 and Richard born in 1985 and she travel multiple times to Egypt and China. Daisy was also active in the Longview Opera, housing many opera performers and often feeding crew and cast on dress rehearsal evenings. The early 90"s gave rise to her most cherished endeavor, The Historic Upshur Museum that became housed in what was the former United States Post Office on Gilmer"s square. She continued to work on docents, on the board as an officer and even mowing the Museum"s lawn when necessary. Her daughters, Laine and Laura are proud to place The Historic Upshur Museum solo as her chosen charity for any posthumous gifts of friends wishing to honor Miss Daisy. Mrs. Potter always felt her involvement in this lasting project was a way to say thank you to Gilmer and Upshur County for their welcoming and adopting her and "Potter" when they placed roots in Gilmer. Daisy was an avid bridge player and member of several Bridge clubs and "friendly fours" throughout the years. Mrs. Potter was still playing bridge in Cincinnati every Wednesday at the Sycamore Senior Center until three months before her death. Her move to Cincinnati in 2008 was health and safety related and she lived with daughter, Laura Potter Parsons-Sergent and son-in-law Wallace "Sam" Sergent, Jr. for six years in their home. Daisy"s move to Cincinnati was followed on year later by her daughter Laine"s move to that city as well. The girls were glad to be reunited in the twilight of Miss Daisy"s years. During her time in Cincinnati, Daisy Potter was a frequent visitor at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Laura, Sam and Laine and she experienced the welcome of a religious community and the horizontal love of Jesus, the Christ for the first time ever. She found great joy in these services and was warmly included and embraced in every manner by this loving Christian community. Daisy is survived by daughers, Laine Potter and Laura Parsons-Sergent and Laura"s husband, Wallace "Sam" Sergent; grandsons Richard Parsons of Houston, Texas and Brian Parsons, his wife Renee, and great granddaughters Madalyn Renee and Grace Christine Parsons of the Cleveland area. Predeceased by Richard S. Potter in 1998, her mother in 1986 and her brother, Charles in 1943, Mrs. Potter"s pallbearers are Richard Parsons, Brian Parsons, Wallace "Sam" Sergent, Steve Dean, Hap Proctor and Elliott Dean. Honorary pallbearers are Charles Parsons, Bob Parsons, Jim Daniels, Frank Breazeale, Willie Jeffries and Robbie Bruns. Those wishing to make memorials to Daisy J. Potter may gift: The Historic Upshur Museum, 111 Simpson Street, Gilmer. Texas 75644. Those wishing to contact the family may write to 4332 Villa Drive, #5, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 or reach Laura through yamqueen72@aol.com or Laine through Lparson5@cinci.rr.com.