Jimmy Dale POTTORFF

POTTORFF, STEPHENSON, HAUPTMAN, WATERS, JOBE, WOOD, SHERWOOD, PALMISANO, KING, HOLLAND, ROGERS, JAMES

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/5/2009 at 21:23:53

OBITUARY - JIMMY DALE POTTORFF

Jimmy Dale POTTORFF was born October 15, 1930 to Joseph Dale and Laura Lucinda (STEPHENSON) POTTORFF in Ringgold County near Redding, Iowa. He departed life on April 27, 2008 at the age of 77 after a short, but courageous battle with cancer.

Jim attended rural schools Sunnyside and Riley #4 until high school. He graduated from Mount Ayr Community High School in 1949. Through Future Farmers of America Jim earned the Iowa Farmer Degree in 1949 and the American Farmer Degree in 1952 under R. E. HAUPTMAN.

Jim was baptized in April 1955 into the Christian Church in Mount Ayr. He also attended services at Caledonia and Mount Ayr Methodist churches.

In 1955 Jim married Marilyn WATERS. William Dean and Vicky Lynn POTTORFF were born to this union. In 1963 Jim married Judy (JOBE) WOOD. To their union Monte Dale and Barbara Diane POTTORFF were born.

Jim worked for Guarantee Financial in Des Moines and managed Time Loan in Newton for several years before returning to farming in 1966 to help his dad. He spent most of his life farming the land he loved. Jim loved and respected the unique and beautiful ways of Mother Nature - the animals and birds that cannot be controlled by man. Jim felt strongly that nature’s way of life is more serene and natural than the way man controls our destiny. Along with farming, Jim drove semis across country for 18 years, driving more than 2 million miles. He drove in 45 states meeting new people and enjoying the scenery. Judy rode with him through 40 states. For more than 13 years he drove for Doug and Lois HULLINGER of Davis City until they retired their truck line. He then drove for LeRoy GRAY's company, GRAY Transportation, for five years until Jim decided to retire in 2003.

Jim enjoyed farming and raising cattle, trucking, his class reunion lunches, and playing cards, cribbage and pool with his friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Eugene; son, Monte Dale; and, father-in-law, David JOBE. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 45 years, Judy of Mount Ayr; son, Bill POTTORFF (Katie) of Diamond Bar, CA; daughters, Vicky SHERWOOD (Dave) of Urbandale, IA and Barbara POTTORFF of Altoona, IA; step-son Mike WOOD (fiancé Mercedes) of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; grandchildren, Alex and Adam POTTORFF, Jennielle PALMISANO (Nick), Jason KING (Katrina); step-grandson, Nicholas; great-grandchildren, Cole and Logan PALMISANO, and Jaydon KING; step-great-grandson, Trent HOLLANDER; mother-in-law, Genevieve ROGERS of Mount Ayr; also Jim's "extended" family, Kelly and Shelly JAMES and their children Leigh, Mike, Anne and Kate.

Services were held Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 1:30 p.m., Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009