Michael Potter

Michael G. Potter, age 66, reunited with the Cosmik Debris on April 13th, 2020. Mike was recently predeceased by his father, Gordon Potter. He is survived by his wife, Chris; children, Adam, Lucas (Skylar), and Monica; granddaughter, Verdi ("The Child"); mother, Joan Hamrick; brother, Tom; and many friends/"brothers." He was uncle to a plethora of nieces and nephews, and "Uncle Grandpa" to a wild pack of great nieces and great nephews.

Mike (aka MP, aka Bald Eagle, aka Dadioke, aka Balderino) was born in Rochester and grew up in Webster. He was a master carpenter with an eye for detail and a strong artistic sensibility; an avid reader who enjoyed fantasy and science fiction; a music fan with a taste for the alternative and avant-garde (particularly Frank Zappa); an encyclopedia of dad jokes with a quick and quirky wit; a master of random trivia and a Jeopardy aficionado; a comically bad speller; and a rider and racer of motorcycles since his youth.

Mike had an intense curiosity and desire to learn. His desire for knowledge informed the way he approached nearly every aspect of his life. He gleaned valuable insight from nearly everything: from the books he read, to the astronomy documentaries he watched, to all his past successes and (especially) failures. He lived his life according to one of his favorite Frank Zappa quotations: "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open."

Mike leaves behind an enduring legacy of cartoon character figurines (Plankton, Skeeter, etc.) concealed in buildings and former job sites across the Rochester area. But Mike would be the first to say (while recognizing that it might sound cliché) that his greatest legacy and proudest accomplishment was his children.

Mike's nuanced approach to making, his emphasis on taking pride in his work, and his practice of imaginatively repurposing salvaged materials are all carried on by his daughter Monica, to whom he lent his creative expertise and technical skill numerous times in bringing her art projects to life. Her eclectic display at the Corn Hill Arts Festival in 2019 would not have been possible if not for his assistance in constructing an intricate rack system, and his overall influence on her creative pursuits.

Mike's embrace of all things odd, quirky, and unusual was an inspiration to all of his children, but especially to his son Lucas. Mike's unapologetic uniqueness and sense of self set an excellent example for Lucas, showing that it's not bad (and often, preferable) to be a little bit weird. Lucas is also proud to carry on Mike's love of motorcycles, a multi-generational Potter Family tradition.

Mike's son Adam inherited his father's curiosity and appetite for knowledge of all types, whether it centered on the complexities of nature and the universe, or disparate bits of miscellaneous trivia. Perhaps above all else, Mike passed his love of reading down to Adam. The two shared a nearly identical taste in books, trading their favorites back and forth and discussing characters and plot points at length. Mike's continuous pursuit of knowledge rubbed off on all of his children and continues to shape who they are today.

To those that knew him, Mike--owing to his hatred of spirit world meddling--has advised against the use of Ouija boards to contact him. Instead, please leave a comment or story in his memory.

We Usses - We Toos
1 Yo
C.A.L.M.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held at a later date. Please check back for updates.