James Potter

The journey is finished and the long winding road has lead to the gates of heaven. With Jesus holding his hand and leading the way to his heavenly home, James Dean Potter, ?Potter? finished his earthly walk. Today, James is finally free to run and not stumble. He can use both arms and hands to bug Nonnie, Poppie, Granny and the Uncles Randy and Van who went home before him. James has met the father he so desperately wanted to know. James is no longer hurting. His earthly pain is over. No more shots, no more medication, the ventilator will no longer breath for him and the aftermath of the brain injury and the leukemia is over. Today, James has a beautiful heavenly body, one made perfect, absolutely flawless by our wonderful creator, Father God. It would not do justice to James to fail to tell his story. James was so proud to have served in the U.S. Army, and to have been a member of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Group (Airborne). James was a Night Stalker and the unit motto was ?Night Stalkers Don't Quit?, and he didn't. During a night mission on December 9. 1987. James was struck in the head with a helicopter blade and lost 25% of his brain. Against incredible odds, he survived and made an incredible comeback. The recovery was long and hard, but he never complained. In September 2002, James and fiancé Mary Beth Hutches, were told he had Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia. Five days later, with only their parents, siblings and a few VA employees, they married in the chapel of Overton Brooks Veterans Administration Hospital, in Shreveport, LA. The fight to save James' life began. 2003, brought remission and relapse. 2004, brought the most wonderful gifts. In February, James received a Bone Marrow Transplant and in September, the most precious gift came, a beautiful baby girl, the child they both longed for, Mary Grace. James' journey began to lead toward home in January 2008, when he lost the use of his right lung. Still determined to fight, James and Mary Beth continued looking for a solution and answer. They prayed and ask God for His divine touch, for strength to fight and understanding. Today we received our answer, our solution. James was lead home to heaven, and received his perfect body. James touched so many lives with his quick wit and his beautiful smile, and his laugh was contagious. He gave, unselfishly, love with his entire being. When he offered to help, he took no thought of the challenges that he may face. He was a man to be admired. He lived by the Night Stalker motto, N.S.D.Q. If he got lost on a road trip, he said, "I took the scenic tour". He never met a stranger and tried to see the good in everyone he crossed paths with, even if they were not kind or understanding of his disability. James leaves behind his best friend and wife, Mary Beth Potter, his baby girl, three year old Mary Grace; mom, Glenda R. Potter of Shreveport, LA; pop, Bill Potter of Annona TX.; sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Glen Foret of Houma, LA; his in-laws who encouraged him to do everything he never thought he would, Mom and Dad, Ted and Pat Hutches; brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Billie Hutches; and sister-in-law, ?Little Sis? Sherrie Hutches. He also leaves his favorite uncle and aunt, Charles and Becky Launius of Mississippi and cousins Tammy and Rob Jay and their children of Tennessee, and Kevin and Shannon Launius of Oregon; lifelong friend, Tami Lynn Kelly, who was always somewhere close; Gloria Blackburn, Mamaw Parker, and the entire Parker family. The family wants to thank all the churches who prayed for James and our entire family. Thank you to Pastor Doyce and Brother Don at Oakmont Church of God, the ladies prayer group, and the men's prayer group, Pastor and Sister Berthelot, at Crossroads Assembly of God and both church families. Thanks to the Parker family for all your visits and calls. Thanks to the chaplains that came in and prayed at James? bedside. Thanks to everyone who spent time on your knees in prayer for our family. God Bless you all. Thank you to all the doctors who kept going and looking for answers and not giving up on James. Thank you to the following individuals who cared for Potter, Ron Grossi, Kay Steadman, M. Phelen, and everyone else at the VAMC in Shreveport, LA. Thank you to The BMT unit at LSUHSC, and Dr. S. Milligan, in Shreveport. A very special Thank You to the Baylor Blood and Marrow transplant center in Dallas, TX. Dr. Luis Pinero, and all the medical staff there. Your compassion will never be forgotten. Finally, a heartfelt Thank You, to Dr. Robert C. Holladay, for your compassion and graciousness in caring for James, as well as our entire family. To Dr?s Labas, Alexander and Whitley, Thank You. To the staff at Dubuis Hospital, God Bless you all. Toy, Ms. Bernice, David, Karen, Rachel, Toni, Melinda, Jimmie, T, Tiffany, and Michellynn, you will always be in our prayers, what you do is incredible. Thank You. The R.T. staff thank you, too, Patrice, Dorothy, Donna, Bruce, Chad, Elma, and Diane, God Bless you all. Everyone else at Dubuis, and you know who you are, God Bless you and thank you from the bottom of my heart. James, I will see you again. You will always be in my heart and I will never stop loving you. You are my very best friend and until I join you, you are mine and Gracie?s HERO. I love you, Honey. Visitation will be held from 6pm until 8pm, Monday, June 2, at Oakmont Church of God, 5925 W. 70th Street, Shreveport, LA and the celebration of James? life will be held at 1:00pm, Tuesday, June 3, at Oakmont Church of God with interment to follow at the Northwest LA Veterans Cemetery in Keithville.