MDPA announces with sadness the passing of longtime member John Potter, who contributed to the flying community for many decades and was the patriarch of MDPA, remembered especially for his command of the Saturday Safety Forum Breakfasts.
John led a very interesting life and you'd never know from seeing him in his Navy cap and blue coveralls that he was a nuclear operations engineer and had a master’s degree in nuclear engineering and an MBA from Stanford!
We're fortunate to have some details about his life, which were provided by his wife, Jude:
John Leslie Potter, a long-time Benicia resident, nuclear engineer, Naval veteran and pilot, died March 31, 2024 in Vallejo. He was 87.
Born May 27, 1936 in El Paso, Texas, he was accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, graduating in 1958. He was a Weapons Officer on the nuclear submarine USS Mariano G Vallejo stationed at Mare Island. He retired as a Commander in the Navy,
In 1969, John married Judith Wandell, the widow of his shipmate and friend John Wandell and mother of four. The family moved to Palo Alto, where John attended Stanford University, earning a master’s degree in nuclear engineering and an MBA..
The family settled in Benicia in 1971. He worked for Pacific Gas & Electric Company spending most of the next 25 years in the design and operation of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
John served as a Blue and Gold Officer interviewing candidates for the U.S. Naval Academy for 38 years and counseled more than 50 students for entrance to the Naval Academy. Talking to young people about their future was one of his passions.
John was a member of Benicia’s Finance Committee and served on the School Board. He was a member of the Benicia/Tula Sister City Program. He was a Commissioner on the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission for 8 years. For 15 years he served on the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board as a Trustee and was a member of the Governance Committee.
His love for aviation followed his first flight in El Paso at the age of 13, and he finally acquired his own aircraft at the age of 50. He belonged to the Mount Diablo Pilot's Association since 1975 where he served as president and board member. John established the monthly breakfast and safety meetings and was awarded an honorary membership for his loyal service
John is preceded in death by his first wife, Priscilla, mother of Jeffrey Potter. He is survived by his wife, Judith, children Jeffrey (Margee), Christopher (Stephanie), Susan (John), Deborah (Allen) and Timothy (Amy); 10 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren, and cousins Jane (Ron) West, Bill (Linda) Fletcher, Judy Fletcher and their children.
A memorial service with military honors will be held on Saturday, April 13 at 1:00pm at St. Dominic’s Church in Benicia, with a burial on Monday, April 15 at 9:30 a.m. at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation or Doctors Without Borders.
Be well and fly safe,
Rich Cunningham, for the MDPA Board of Directors
