Raymond Potts

RAYMOND  "JIM"  POTTS

Raymond J. “Jim” Potts, age 88, of Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, passed away on July 5, 2016, at home. Son of the late William A. and Edith T. Potts of Jefferson Hills.

Married to his beautiful wife, Kathy, on September 3, 1955, they raised 7 sons together. Growing up, Dad was our Little League Baseball coach and he and Mom attended non-stop sport events, church and school functions and high school and college graduations over the ensuing years. During our Little League years, in addition to coaching, Dad served as both President and Commissioner of the EFW (Elrama, Floreffe and West Elizabeth) Youth Baseball League. Dad also spent a term as a member of the Jefferson Borough Recreation Board.

Dad was a 1945 graduate of Clairton High School, Clairton, Pennsylvania. He entered the Army post WWII, finishing his service as a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Corp. at Fort Beale, California.

Dad retired in 1991 after 43 ½ years employ at PICCO and its later incarnations as Hercules and Eastman Chemical Corp in Jefferson Hills.

A devout Catholic, Dad served his parish as a Eucharistic Minister, Lector and as a member of the Church Council. Dad was also a social member of the AARP Clairton Chapter 2682 and served a term as President of that organization.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by siblings, Billy (who died in childhood), Anna Marie Reed, Francis Potts, Edith Griffiths and Alan Potts; a nephew, Joseph Hahn; and a great-grandson, Nathan White.

Surviving are his wife, Kathryn Hahn Potts; seven sons, Bill (Kathy) of Jefferson Hills, Ray of Buford, Georgia, Chris (Debbie) of Ocean View, Delaware, Jerry (Jayne) of Verona, Pennsylvania, Ed (Joan) of Conway, Pennsylvania, Mike of Locust Grove Virginia, Jeff (Kris) of Waxhow, North Carolina; seventeen grandchildren, who called him "PAPPY", Billy, Katie, Megan, R.J. (Jessica), Adam, Brittany (Kevin), Michael (Jacy), Danny (Abby), Brian, Monica (Andy), Jon, Jared (Emily), Jake, Lexie, Nick, James and Emma; three great-grandchildren, Haley, Joey and Everly and numerous nieces and nephews.

Like his father before him, Dad was a die-hard Pittsburgh Pirate fan and trust me when I tell you, there were not many televised games that he and Mom missed.  Among his favorite gifts were his Pirate T-Shirts (which constituted a large portion of his wardrobe in later years).  Dad and Mom also rarely missed a Penguin game.

The family, even though spread across the eastern half of the United States, always held on to the togetherness we learned from our parents, gathering for weddings, graduations, annual vacations and anniversaries. On September 3rd, 2015 the entire family gathered for our parent’s 60th wedding anniversary celebration.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Family Hospice and Palliative Care for their special help during Dad’s illness.

There will be no visitation.  Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 10 AM in St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church on Collins Avenue (Floreffe) in Jefferson Hills. EVERYONE PLEASE MEET AT THE CHURCH .  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church 1216 Collins Avenue, Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania 15025.