To the Potter family
We are saddened to hear of the death of Helen, but we know that she is with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Ron & Anne Bailey
August 16, 1938 – May 27, 2022
In her 84 th year, Helen passed on to glory peacefully in her sleep at Tri-Town Extendicare, Haileybury.
Pre-deceased by her husband, Philip, and daughter, Gwen, she is survived by her children: Paul Potter
and wife Lorraine with children Hilary and Nicholas; Marilyn Potter and children Wayne and Wendy; and
Barry Potter and wife Liz with children Wyatt and Sally and Emily Seed and husband Jason.
She is also survived by her brothers Ron, Stan, Larry, Dwight Fergusson, and sister Kim Potter (David).
Upon completing grade 11 at Englehart High School, Helen started work at the Royal Bank in New
Liskeard. After marrying Philip Potter, they moved west of Earlton to farm together and raise a family.
Later she worked in both the Temiskaming Shores and Englehart medical communities.
Helen was a friend to many, and was actively involved in volunteering for many activities, including
church functions, local fairs, and the cancer patient section at Temiskaming Hospital. She was a survivor
of breast cancer, and afterwards provided hope and comfort to those who were stricken with the
disease.
Mom loved to enter the local fairs with home crafts and baking. She and her good friend, Kathy Richards
would have friendly competition. They enjoyed working together to get entries ready for the fairs,
helping to support local events.
Her homemade Chelsea buns and butter tarts were not only enjoyed by all who visited her home but
were also often donated as hot-ticket items for fundraising causes, such as the Temiskaming Beef
Buddies 4H Club.
Mom was a supporter. She didn’t really like sports, but she attended Paul and Barry’s legion of games:
soccer, basketball, track, whatever was going on. Her prayer was that her children would have fun, but
that they would never be too good at sports and thus be distracted from the main life goal of serving
Jesus Christ.
When her grandchildren were involved in an activity, whether music festival, hockey, 4H, or a school
activity, they could count on Grandma to be there cheering them on.
The family would like to thank all of Mom’s friends for their visits and care over the years. We would
especially like to thank the Englehart Hospital and Extendicare Haileybury for their professional care
over Mom, especially during the challenges of the pandemic.
Mom lost the love of her life, Philip, almost three years ago, and has been waiting to be reunited with
him and to be with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. God answered her prayer on May 27 th .
The family will be holding a private burial at the Earlton Gospel Hall cemetery. A public memorial is
being planned for later this summer, tentatively scheduled for August 13, 2022.
Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society, or another charity of your choice will be gratefully
acknowledged by the family.