Thomas Allen Potter

Thomas Allen Potter, 80, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on January 15, 2025 at his home in San Antonio, Texas. He was born on February 29, 1944 in Washington, DC. The son of Helen Margaret Parsons Potter and Thomas Mitchell Potter, Tom’s childhood was spent as an Air Force child with his siblings, Ed, Nancy, and Charlie. He graduated from Sam Houston High School in 1961. 

At the age of 13, Tom began working at Handy Andy, where he advanced through the ranks with commitment and diligence until he ultimately became Vice President of the company. In 1977, he was recruited to serve as Vice President of Human Resources for Frontier Enterprises. His work there inspired him to create his own consultancy, where he continued to work closely with Frontier and many other businesses until his retirement. 

In 1966, Tom was introduced to Eva Scholze, an office cashier at Handy Andy. They were married in 1967 and shared a wonderful life together raising a family until her passing in 2019, after 51 years of marriage.

 After Eva’s passing, Tom was fortunate to reunite with a former colleague from his Frontier days, Patricia Gomez Bryant. Love quickly bloomed and they were wed in 2021. They spent more than three years together, traveling and enjoying daily adventures. 

Volunteerism and community service were paramount in Tom’s life. He dedicated many hours to the Society for Human Resource Management, San Antonio Executives Association, Bracken Volunteer Fire Department, and Garden Ridge-Bracken Lions Club. Tom and Eva were founding members of Triumphant Lutheran Church in Garden Ridge and were proud to be a part of a group of twenty-five originating families of the church. Tom also took immense pride in his nine years of service on the Comal ISD school board, where he actively demonstrated his passion for public education and his deep appreciation for teachers. 

Tom was proud to have served his country in the United States Air Force where he was in the 149th Combat Support Squadron. His steadfast patriotism and deep appreciation for freedom were fundamental aspects of his life.

 Known for his love of hunting and fishing, Tom was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed spending time at his “trophy lease.” He had many lifelong hunting and fishing buddies whose friendships he treasured. 

Tom’s children and grandchildren were his pride and joy, and he never missed an opportunity to tell them how proud he was of them. He attended all of their school events and took special pride in their musical endeavors, serving with the Canyon High School Music Boosters for nearly twenty years. His family took countless trips to Port Aransas and West Texas, two of his favorite places. 

Tom is survived by his wife Patricia and by his children, David (Mary Lee) Potter, Anna (Stan, deceased) Sweeden, Tina (Jon) Holbrook, and Monika (Brad) Arnold; brother Edward Potter; grandchildren, Courtney (Paul) Gaines, Ethan (Jess) Potter, Garrett Sweeden, Lauren (Zack) Schuler, Kelsey (Jordan) Holbrook, Hanna Arnold and Nicholas Arnold. He was blessed with seven great grandchildren and a treasured extended family. He also held a special place in his heart for Pat’s daughter, Tricia (Cesar) Silva. 

The family would like to acknowledge the wonderful care provided by Crest Hospice, with special gratitude to Liz, Alice, and Lorraine. 

A memorial service will be held at Triumphant Lutheran Church in Garden Ridge, Texas, on Friday, January 31, 2025, at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in Tom’s memory to the Coastal Conservation Association (ccatexas.org/donate), Triumphant Lutheran Church (triumphantlutheran.org), or the Alzheimer’s Association (alzfdn.org).