Jay Sheldon Potter Sr.

Jay Sheldon Potter, a devotely patient and loving father, husband and friend to many, died on October 29, 2023 at the age of 85. Following a special moment in the sun with his beloved son Chris, Jay left this world with a soft smile on his face Sunday morning, October 29, 2023. Jay leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter, humor as dry as his gin, and countless precious memories that resonate deeply within the hearts of his family and friends.

In his formative years, Jay Sr. not only shone brightly as a high school sprinting star for McClatchy High, he also displayed a special gift for math and a dream for space. Willing to act on his dreams, he pursued a carrier in the budding space program of the late 1950’s, graduating as onoe of our countries 1st aeronautical engineers from Boulder, Colorado, earning his Masters at the University of Washington. He must have been quite the find for Boeing as the space program became a primetime event.

In 1968, Jay moved his family Goleta California and provided his children a gift of a few million acres of beach front property to run around on. Other than his love and time, what better gift could a father provide his children than a paradise? A gift they will never forget.

For the next 15 years, this man of routine, would wake, fill his mug, drive to work, nod to the solder with the M-16 at the doorway of his nondescript office, log into what was the true birth of the Internet, fill a room with punch cards he would feed the 2nd most powerful computer on the west coast, go home, kiss the wife, hug the kids and then make a cocktail – the key to which was doing so with the cheapest most vile gin available, on ice, one olive.

Jay would work tirelessly all year and somehow gear up for amazing month long seatbeltless trips with the family that touched every known highway, lake and mountain in the west; memories his four children will tell passionately to anyone who will listen.

He met Dee, the love of his life, at the Galleon room in 1990 and married a few years later. He launched his retirement dedicated to time with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. With the two inseperable, they became central and proud members of ELKS Lodge #613, where Jay became the Exalted Ruler in 2001 and was loved by scores of Elk Brothers.

With Dee’s passing in 2013, Jay was left with a hole in his life. With a passion for solving any challenge, he filled this void with time he dedicated to his family and friends. A survivor in every sense, Jay faced and conquered the challenges of lung cancer, undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and brain radiation with unwavering strength. Through it all, he maintained a sense of humor and never lost his twisted enjoyment of “bad” gin, spending his last weekend in Laughlin laughing with his dear friends to the end.

Jay will be remembered not only for his kindness but more so for his love of family, zest for life, and the joy he found in simple pleasures. His legacy endures through shared laughter, fond memories, and the indomitable spirit he embodied. May he rest in peace, and may his family find solace in the enduring love and cherished moments he leaves behind.

A service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 11AM at Trinty Church, 1500 State Street, SB.