Jean Potter (Philip)
(1913 - 2012)

Jean Potter passed away Tuesday morning May 22, 2012 at the age of 98. She died peacefully, as she had lived. She left behind five grandchildren (Tor, Freya, Gabe, Liam and Jessica), two children, David and Gerry, Gerry’s wife, Anne, and a sister, Margaret, in Kelowna, as well as many nieces and nephews across the country. She was the second of six children, spent her early years on a farm near Nokomis in Saskatchewan, her early teen years in Saskatoon, and later periods in Nokomis and Kelowna, During WW2 she moved to Ottawa; she married John Potter, also from Nokomis, in 1945. She spent much time in her final years in Edmonton.

Jean had Alzheimer’s these last 10 years, so we lost her slowly over a long period. She had been a lively and progressive lady, who worked most of her life, and was a working mum when it was not common. But she never complained, except when she misquoted Shakespeare: "My joints are out of sorts, O cursed spite!" She was generous and kind to all, loved the outdoors, to travel or hear about it, and had a superb, often dry and quirky sense of humour.

Jean was an active driver until she was about 95, and was a formidable tennis player into her late 70's. When we were kids, she took us skiing regularly at Camp Fortune for many years, packing lunches for all.

Jean was never wealthy, but maintained a prairie woman’s sense of hospitality; as children, if we were playing with friends in the house or outside it at dinner times, all friends were inevitably invited to share our family meal. She loved to camp, and our childhood summers nearly always included a cross-Canada camping trip from Ottawa, all of us jammed into a Ford with a tent in the trunk, off to visit the relatives in Saskatchewan or Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Jean would lead us in a game of I Spy or Geography as Tony the Dog-- or on one occasion, Brewster, our pet rooster-- jammed his head out the window, ears—or feathers-- flapping in the breeze. To her final days, in spite of the dementia, she could make a joke, laugh at one, or quote poetry: “ I bid you goodnight until tomorrow…” We'll miss her much.
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Jean’s interment took place at the Nokomis Cemetery in Central Saskatchewan on Saturday, June 16, 2012. There was a short graveside service, conducted by Janice Edwards, which included “To everything there is a season” from Ecclesiastes, several poems, a group invocation and a silent meditation or prayer. Roses were placed on the grave by several of the attendees.

Here is a portion of the service written by Janice, with a small assist from Gerry, and recited by Janice:

“There is a part of Jean with you in the memories you hold; in the love you shared; in the good times you had together. Sights, sounds or smells will trigger your memories of her.
This kind, gracious, generous, lively, independent woman with a good sense of humour who loved travel, the outdoors, reading, poetry and her family will come to mind when you:
Hear the far-off trill of cranes flying over, the rhythmic racket-ping of a tennis game or the snap-and-slip of cards being shuffled, drive along a prairie road and feel the warm wind in your hair, smell the cinammon sweetness of a fresh-baked apple pie, read a poem that she loved to quote, hear someone laugh “just like Jean”, smell the perfume she wore or the soap she used, sit by a crackling campfire on a summer evening….”

After the interment ceremony, a lunch was served at the Nokomis Legion. Many members, young and old, of the extended Potter and Philip families living in the west, as well as old friends from the Nokomis area, attended. A short slide show, celebrating Jean ‘s life, was presented. Gerry and David gave short eulogies and Uncle Marv Potter recalled some memories of Jean and her family for the gathering. Afterwards the group shared many stories and memories and a couple of photo albums were passed around. Several donations were made to the Alzheimers Society of Canada.

Thanks to Jessica and Liam Potter for the slide show assembly, to Janet, Doug and Reg Potter and Doreen Riach for helping set up the lunch, to Janice Edwards for the lovely service, and to the local Legion members for preparing the lunch. Thanks also to those who came to the events, either in body or in spirit, and to those who have called or left messages. May you all walk in beauty.


--David, Gerry,( and families)