Barbara Potts

Barbara Carter Potts of Medfield, formerly of Dover, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family on March 9th.  She was 95.

She leaves behind daughter Barbara (Mecky) Kattman and her husband Rick of Holliston; sons Kenneth C. (KC) Potts and his wife Pam of Holliston; James (Jim) G. Potts and his wife Katy of Norfolk; and Jeremiah (Jerry) M. Potts and his wife Chris of Medfield. Barbara is also survived by grandchildren Matthew Kattman and Miah Kattman; Hannah (Potts) Wright and husband James, and Benjamin Potts; Jesse Potts, Molly Potts, Hallie Potts, Lilly Potts, Liam Potts, and Eva Potts; Ryan Potts, Sean Potts and Alana Potts; and by great-grandson Emmett Kattman.

Barbara was born and raised in Stamford, CT, where she excelled as an athlete and lived until she got married and moved to Waban, MA in 1955, then to Sherborn, MA in 1964. As a newly single mother, she worked as a library assistant at Dover-Sherborn High School in 1974—her first job— where she stayed until 1978, when she began working in the Boston Globe’s library, retiring in 1993. During that time, she moved to Dover in 1978, where she stayed until 2016, when she moved to Medfield.

Barbara was known for her irrepressible spirit and optimism, and her lifelong quest was to help those around her be happy. She loved her family more than anything and would do all she could in support of her children and their families: that her own kids settled nearby is testament to the love she nurtured. She was an avid, prolific reader; she loved to tend her gardens, relishing the chance to cook—another passion—with homegrown vegetables. While in Sherborn, she savored her summers on Farm Pond, a favorite gathering spot for family and friends. She was never without a canine companion; she loved the challenge of the New York Times crossword puzzles. A passionate and skilled knitter, Barbara was always at work on two or three different ongoing projects, delighting in giving a new sweater or scarf as a gift. Most of all, she took pride in the achievements, great and small, of her children and grandchildren

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Visiting hours on Friday, May 3, from 4-7 PM at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Medfield. A memorial service will be held at the Grace Church in Dover on Saturday, May 4, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Barbara’s name to the Medfield Animal Shelter, 101 Old Bridge Street, Medfield, MA 02052 (medfieldshelter.com).