Bobbye Ruth Potter

Bobbye Ruth Potter passed from this life on January 11, 2016 at the age of 92. Passions for learning, for travel, for all things French, for history and most of all, love for her family filled her life. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Dewitt L. Potter; her parents, Roy and Flossie Kellenberger; her beloved brother, Bill Kellenberger; and her sister, Jacque Young. Bobbye was born in Sperry, Oklahoma. When she was a child, her family moved to Cherryvale, Kansas, where her parents operated small businesses including the Kellenberger Cafe. Bobbye quickly showed an aptitude for life long learning and developed a deep love for reading and libraries. She graduated from high school at 16, having skipped a grade, and attended Independence Junior College majoring in Home Economics. Through this education and her experience at the Kellenberger Cafe, Bobbye began to develop her remarkable skills as a cook and hostess. These served her well as she and Dewitt made homes in Amarillo, Texas, where their first child was born, and in Calgary, Canada where they lived for 11 years. In Calgary, Bobbye's warmth and quick wit easily ushered her family into the unique community of American oil business expatriates, many of whom became the Potters' lifelong friends. This Canadian experience stimulated her curiosity about other cultures. During her life, she visited 34 countries and set foot on every continent except Antarctica. In 1961 the family, now numbering six, with two daughters and two sons, returned to the United States. They settled in Tulsa after a brief stay in Bartlesville. Though raising her family was her primary focus, she also became active in the Tulsa Junior League. Always eager to learn, she returned to the college classroom at the University of Tulsa, earning her first degree in Library Science; then a Bachelor of Arts in French; and finally a Masters in History, having written a thesis on historic preservation in Tulsa. As they approached retirement, fond memories of their good times in Canada, their friends, and a mutual love of the mountains drew them back north to spend summers in the Canadian Rockies. Bobbye and Dee believed in the importance of cultural enrichment for Tulsans and gave back to the city's institutions throughout their lives. Their contributions supported the Tulsa Ballet, the Tulsa Philharmonic, the Tulsa Historical Society, Philbrook Museum of Art, as well as the University of Kansas and the University of Tulsa. Bobbye was an active participant in: The Tulsa Shakespeare Club, the Philbrook Pacers, Tulsa Town Hall, Ruskin Art Club, the Alliance Francais, and the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Library. She was named 2002 Marcus Tower Volunteer of the Year. In her later years her quiet support found its way to many local and national charities. Bobbye will be remembered for her graciousness, for always making anyone she met feel welcomed and comfortable, for her enormous body of knowledge and memorized poetry, for her enthusiasm (especially for sports), for her tenacity (applied particularly to her children), for her creativity and for her splendid sense of humor. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her, but most of all by her children: Dee Anne Short (Don), Melissa Atkinson (Michael), Patrick Potter, Michael Potter, and her beloved grandchildren Sarah Short Dust (Travis), Charles Travis Atkinson (Krystyn) and Kellen Atkinson. Bobbye is survived by her brother, Jim Kellenberger, and numerous nieces and nephews throughout the country. A memorial service will be held at All Souls Unitarian Church on Friday, January 22 at 4:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Tulsa City-County Library or All Souls Unitarian Church. Moore's Rosewood Chapel. 918-744-1202

Bobbye Ruth Potter

September 30, 1923 - January 11, 2016