HOLYOKE, Claudia F. Potter of Holyoke, MA and formerly, Amherst, MA died November 30, 2013 at the Loomis House Nursing Center in Holyoke, MA.  She was born August 9, 1921 in Warba, MN, daughter of Claude and Ethel (Watkins) Barnes. Following high school, in 1940 she graduated from the Duluth (MN) School of Beauty Culture. She taught at the school before relocating to Minneapolis where she worked as a beautician. Later, she moved to Washington, DC where she worked for the FBI during WWII. 

On August 16, 1947 she married Frank E. Potter in Silver Springs, MD. Early years of their marriage were spent in Silver Springs, College Station, TX and State College, PA as Mr. Potter pursued his doctorate and post-doctoral work. In 1955 they moved to Amherst, MA when Dr. Potter joined the University of Massachusetts faculty. 

Mrs. Potter enjoyed young children and she worked in local nursery schools and later in a program called “Tommy’s Visit to the Hospital”, at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital. She worked as a Red Cross volunteer for over a decade and was a member of the Amherst Woman’s Club. She also provided comfort and care in her home to her mother, Ethel Barnes, during the last ten years of her life and for her husband, Frank following a long illness. 

Survivors include her son, Calvin L. Potter and his wife, Anne of South Hadley, MA, her daughter Linda Quimby and husband, David of Walpole, NH.  Grandson, Andrew Potter and his wife Jocelyn of Hadley, MA, grandson Matthew Potter and his wife Andrea of Centerville, MA and grandson, Timothy Quimby of Walpole.  Great-grandchildren are Margaret, Nicholas and Elliott Potter. She was predeceased by her husband, Frank in 1997 and her sister Ruby DeGroot.

There will be no calling hours. A memorial service will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Hospice. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.