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William (Bill) Potter passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 21, 2026, at the age of 82.
Bill was born Oct. 20, 1943, to Ray and Dorothy Potter and was the third of five children. On Nov. 3, 1961, he married his high school sweetheart, Judy Harmon, and they eventually had three children: Sheila, Gene and Clifford.
Bill worked from a young age at the family dairy farm in Chewelah until his marriage, at which time he became an ironworker. His choice of career initiated many travel adventures as he followed work. Bill made a career in the union, and in 1972 they decided it was time to put down some roots. Bill and Judy decided a farm in Napavine would be a wonderful place to settle and raise their kids. Eventually, grandkids and great-grandkids enjoyed making memories at that farm. One of Bill’s earlier jobs was in the construction of the Minuteman missile silos in the Dakotas. He then worked in the Bremerton Naval Shipyard as a certified welder. Once he became a millwright, he found himself working in Alaska, Oregon and Arizona.
Anyone who knew Bill knew he loved to share stories about his adventures. Family was important to him, and after retirement he rarely missed a sporting event or activity the family was involved with. He enjoyed travel, snowmobiling, camping and hunting in the mountains with his horses and mules, and later his quad. He looked forward to the annual camping trip where he and Judy would gather with his siblings and their families, drawing together relatives from all over the state.
Bill had a real soft spot for any child knocking on his door raising money for a cause. He also had a great heart for supporting the military and other charities.
He is survived by his wife, Judy, of 64 years; daughter Sheila (Jeff) Wilson; son Gene (Jill) Potter; brother Jim (Linda) Potter; and sister Mary Kay (Pete) Rausch; five grandchildren, Alisha (Steven) Griffith, Brandon (Lisa) Wilson, Raychel (Kevin) Hoffman, Brady Potter and Emily (Conner) Blake; eight great-grandchildren, Maesen and Layton Griffith, Cooper and Cyren Wilson, Grace Hoffman, Kasey, Mallory and Callan Blake; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son, Clifford; brother Gary Potter; sister Janet Nussbaum; grandson Raymond Blake; and his parents, Ray and Dorothy.
There will be a graveside service at Napavine Cemetery on Saturday, March 14, at 1 p.m., followed by a gathering at the Cowlitz River Ranch, 363 Brim Road, Onalaska, Washington 98570. All are welcome to attend.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Wounded Warriors Foundation or the Napavine Scholarship Fund.
