JOANNE POTTS

Mrs. Joanne Potts, age 74, widow of the late Floyd A. Potts, Sr.  passed away at the home of her son and daughter-in-law Tuesday night.  She was born August 24, 1944 in Ivan, Florida near Crawfordville in Wakulla County, the daughter of Mose and Mollie Raker Strickland.  After graduation from high school in the early sixties, Joanne got a job as a telephone operator, just like in the old days, before cell phones, where the operator would sit at a desk and plug in the various cords to connect callers.  Another woman, employed there in the same job suggested to Joanne that she be introduced to the woman.s brother who just happened to be a young, handsome  and eligible Floyd Potts.  A dating relationship began.  Joanne knew Floyd’s number and back in the day it was possible for an operator to eaves drop and Joanne, always the type to take advantage of every opportunity, did not let the eaves dropping chance go by.  Floyd was proven faithful and loyal and after his graduation from the State Trooper Academy, he and Joanne, now married, were stationed first in Wildwood then Crestview, then Everglade City and finally back to Crestview where Floyd by this time had become the man-in-charge.  Along the way, the birth of their children occurred, first a daughter Julie Ann and then a son, Floyd, Jr.  Floyd and Joanne were young adults during the popularity of cigarettes and smoking, where it was vogue to smoke and ad campaigns by cigarette companies had reached their zenith, employing Hollywood actors to promote the product.  Some have said Joanne was the quintessential Southern Belle with her cigarettes, her Bic lighter and her sweet tea.  She and Floyd are now back together again since his death in 2001.

Among survivors are her daughter, Julie Ann Potts, her son, Floyd Arnold Potts, Jr and wife Stacy, her grandchildren, Ashley, Brittney, Logan and Lillie and her great grandchildren Darren and Patricia.

Tuesday morning at around 11:00 or so, Joanne will be laid to rest next to Floyd, Sr. in New Shilow Cemetery there in Altha, where Floyd grew up.