Oct. 17, 1940 – April 14, 2011

KENTWOOD, La. — Services for Robert Earl Potts, 70, of Kentwood, La., who died Thursday, April 14, 2011, at Beacham Memorial Hospital in Magnolia, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at East Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael Shumock and Dr. Greg Potts officiating.

Burial will follow at East Fork Cemetery in Kentwood under the direction of McKneely Funeral Home in Kentwood, La.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the church.

Mr. Potts was born Oct. 17, 1940, in Osyka, the son of James M. Potts and Wilma Dean Sanders.

Mr. Potts was a graduate of Spring Creek High School and earned a bachelor of science degree from SLC in 1962. He taught social studies and science in the early 1970s at Valley Forge North with time spent in classrooms at Spring Creek and Chesbrough High School before leaving the school system as a teacher to devote more time to his dairy farm in the East Fork community. He continued to work with Tangipahoa parish taking on a rural school bus route No. 7SC for the Spring Creek School District.

After retiring from the school system, he focused on his dairy until community service and the education of the youth called again. He was elected to two consecutive terms as District B school board member, Tangipahoa Parish. He also served two terms with First South Farm Credit. His love for community surpassed his own needs.

Mr. Potts was a deacon of East Fork Baptist Church and a member of Spring Creek Masonic Lodge.

He and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July of 2010. He was a devoted husband, a provider and encourager to his children, as he was wise counsel, a “buddy” to his brother “Dub,” and an absolutely proud grandfather to seven grandchildren. He will be forever remembered as “Pops.”

He loved farming the land and attending cattle, a good laugh and fried catfish at “The Hitching Post.” He was a man of faith, a Christian and is now reaping what he sowed in heaven.

Mr. Potts was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Myrna Brock Potts; two daughters, Mitzi Conn and husband, Al, of Natchez and Deana Simmons and husband, Jeff, of Kentwood; one son, Greg Potts and wife, Holli, of Dallas, Ga.; five grandchildren, Robert James Potts, William Kirk Potts, Sarah Alice Potts, David Brock Simmons and Daniel Jeffrey Simmons; one brother, W.A. Potts; sister-in-law, Juan Potts; and special aunt, Bobbie Potts.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make donations to The Retreat at Dallas, Ga., a new church started by Dr. Greg Potts, or the National Parkinson’s Foundation for Research.

Online condolences may be sent to www.mckneelys.com.