Obituary of Paul Edward Potter

COLUMBIA—Funeral services for Master Sargent Paul Edward Potter (US Army Ret.), 78, of Columbia, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, December 30, 2013 at Red Bank Baptist Church. Reverend Butch Powell and Reverend Astor "Junior" Jacobs, Jr., will officiate. The family will greet friends from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park with full military honors. Memorials may be made to the Men's Ministry of Red Bank Baptist church, 120 Community Drive, Lexington, SC 29073. Mr. Potter, beloved husband of Carletha Chavis Potter, passed away on Thursday, December 26, 2013. Born in Somerville, Mass., he was a son of the late Paul M. Potter and Edna Welch Potter Hickman. Paul was a member of Red Bank Baptist Church and the Jim Clark Sunday School. He retired from the United States Army serving over 24 years. He was very proud of his service to our country and fought for our freedom in Vietnam. He also served in Korea, Germany and other countries. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, Good conduct Medal (6th AWD), Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/DVC60, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Palm, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. After retiring from the military he continued his working career at Palmetto Health Baptist and Kroger Foods. Paul was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was especially proud of his step children always referring to them as MY children and his love for his grandchildren was shown by his special interest in all their activities and accomplishments. He was a very generous man sharing with everyone. Paul enjoyed all sports and was an avid sports fan. Paul is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Carletha Chavis Potter; step-sons, Astor "Junior" Jacobs (Joyce) of West Columbia, James Jacobs (Carolyn) of Gilbert, Carvie Jacobs (Linda) of Winder, GA, Robert Jacobs (Lynn) of West Columbia and Angus Jacobs (Joyce) of West Columbia; step-daughter, Carletha Coulter (Ronnie); sister, Marlene Gardner of Pepperell, Mass; brother, Carl Potter (Louise) of N. Chellsorb, Mass; 14 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and one great- great- grandchild. He was preceded in death by his mother, Edna Welch Hickman and her husband, Ernie Hickman; father, Paul M. Potter, brother-in-law, Grant Gardner and granddaughter, Gena Jacobs. A special Thank you to the staff of MCCU at Providence Hospital and to Dr. Wells and the Physicians at Columbia Heart. Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209 will be assisting the family.