Ed Potter loved people, and people loved him

The man who never met a stranger — that was Ed Potter. He could walk into a room, or even a bus stop, and in five minutes everyone would feel they knew him, and he knew them.   

When Edward Potter’s death at age 82 was reported this week. Dr. Ed Sussman, former superintendent of the Downey Unified School District, contacted me to say, “Ed Potter was one the finest gentlemen I have ever known. He was a man of the highest integrity and a great model for all of us. I am going to miss him terribly.”

 “In addition to all the staff he hired to support our students, he touched many students’ lives during his years as an administrator at Downey High School,” the district said in a statement. “There are thousands of Downey Unified staff and alumni with fond memories of Dr. Potter because of his unwavering positive attitude and the smile he always had on his face. He will be deeply missed.”

As assistant supervisor in charge of personnel for the Downey Unified School District, Edward L. Potter was once described as “the man who makes the district look good.”

Hired by Downey Unified in 1971, Ed embarked on a 32-year career.  “When I became the new assistant superintendent,” said Ed, “and this was many years ago, school districts were getting one free computer from Apple. So, I bought the first Macintosh in the entire school district. And once my office got that, in just a couple of months the entire district wanted to have their own. That was the beginning of the digital revolution.”

The Downey Federal Credit Union said “with a heavy heart we mourn his passing. Dr. Potter was a kind soul and we will miss him dearly.”  Dr. Potter had been on the Federal Credit Union Board since 1999 and he brought his experiences in technology.

“When I was appointed,” he said. “the Board was looking for a way to bring computers into our boardroom. I had seen what can happen when you start something with technology. I saw the growth when I bought the first Apple Macintosh.  I wasn’t afraid then and I’m not afraid now.”

Barbara Lamberth, former president and CEO of the DFCU said, “I had the pleasure of knowing him for 35 years.  He was a wonderful person who loved to share stories.”

Ed recalled that he joined the Rotary Club of Downey when he was vice-principal at Downey High, and Dr. Ed Sussman, his boss, was his sponsor.  During his time in the club he earned his Ed D, going from “Mister” Potter to “Doctor” Potter, and Dr. Ed didn’t let anyone forget that hard-won title.  

Dr. Ed stayed involved with the club even after his retirement from Downey Unified in 2003. He was famous for his hugs. And for sponsoring one of the first women, Pat Gomez, to join Downey Rotary after a Supreme Court decision made that possible. Pat, a former president of Downey Chamber of Commerce and owner of Johnny’s, was a good choice. On her free day, Sunday, she gave haircuts and styling to the patients at Rancho Los Amigos Rehab Hospital in Downey.

Everyone has their favorite Dr. Ed story. As president of the Rotary Club of Downey in 1993-94, Dr. Ed himself remembers he was faced with a momentous decision within the first two weeks of his presidency: “Where are we going to eat?” 

The old Rio Hondo Golf Club House was being torn down, and the present Event Center being built. “Dirt, trucks, construction everywhere, it was awful,” said Ed, in that clear voice and precise way he had of picking his words. Ed took pride that he led the club to the Embassy Suites, where they had their luncheons during his year. 

Raul Lopez remembers: “In June of 2019 my wife Arlene and I and Dr. Potter flew to Boston for a conference together, and then we drove to Miami Beach. This was a trip that he had planned to take with his wife Kay, but they never had the chance before she passed away. He was thrilled to be able to finally travel down the east coast and was a great travelling companion. He was always up for any adventure and was very pleasant to be around.”

“The most memorable part of the trip,” said Raul, “was our stop in New York. We arrived just a day before the Pride Parade. The city was filled with more people than we could imagine; all the taxi’s and buses were busy so we had to learn to use the Subway.  He wanted to see it all, he was interested in everything, so we took all available tours and walked everywhere.” 

“Ed kept up the pace,” said Raul, “and never ever missed an opportunity to talk to anybody, no matter where we were.  We will always remember the 23 days we spent together and will miss him very much. Dr. Potter’s comment at the time: “We saw everything along the way, and I heard quite a lot about Cuba.” 

An accomplished pianist, Ed loved to play honky-tonk piano at Rotary meetings, that gold ring on his left hand flashing. If you could hum it, he could play it. At the club’s Christmas parties, he had to compete with equally adept fellow member Dr. Bob Flynn, and organist and hostess Chris Pohlen, for a seat at the baby grand.  

Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Ed Potter’s spirit of adventure led him to travel, and after he retired, Ed often went to Hawaii with his good friend and fellow school administrator Stan Hanstad.  Before visiting Tahiti and Quebec, he took French lessons.  Ed wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to meet and talk with the locals wherever he went. 

“We went to Hawaii, and the Bahamas,” Stan said, “we went all over the place. At that huge Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Ed found a piano and started playing, and pretty soon he had a big crowd around him.”

“And we were theater partners,” said Stan. “Ed had a love for music and theater.  We had two tickets and would go to the theater every month, Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the Downey Civic Light Opera.”

“We would like to start a music scholarship in Ed’s name,” Stan said. “Dr. Brian Brown thought of that today at the Downey Federal Credit Union, and my wife Leslie suggested music. He was one in a million, and we’d like to keep his memory alive.” 

“He is with us always,” said Stan, “but he’s also home now with his wife Kay.  He’s looking down from heaven and saying, God bless you for helping the kids.”

“Ed loved people, you know.” said Stan.  “He tried to keep safe the way we all did, but somehow he got infected with the Covid-19. It happened so suddenly, in just four days. I talked to him the day before the last one, and he wanted me to tell everyone how much he loved them.”