Richard Earl Potts' Obituary
Richard Earl “Ric” Potts
July 29, 1949 - July 6, 2025
Richard Earl “Ric” Potts--husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, lifelong educator and friend to many, passed away on July 6 at Baptist Hospital after a short illness.
Born July 29, 1946 in Water Valley, MS, Ric grew up learning about hard work and the power of education. He left Mississippi with his parents as a child as they were seeking greater opportunities with the railroad in Illinois.
After graduating high school at Thornton Township in Chicago in 1965, Ric went to Southern Illinois University and completed a bachelors in English Language and Literature, followed by Masters degrees in both English Literature and Education at Memphis State University and ultimately his Doctorate in Education.
Ric spent his career with the Memphis City Schools, dedicating his life’s work to education in Memphis for over three decades. As a professor at Christian Brothers University for decades, Ric was committed to teaching young people to be teachers.
More recently he served on the board of both the Compass Community School and Memphis School of Excellence; two charter schools here in Shelby County.
Preceded in death by his parents Hazel Lavelle Prestage and Edward Potts, and his brother Ken Potts, Ric is survived by his devoted wife and partner Annalisa Potts; son and daughter-in-law Richard Evan and Laura Potts; stepdaughter Shannon and husband Loren Haynes; stepdaughter Jennifer and husband Duke Leyman; grandsons Richard Ellis and Rowan Earle Potts, Henry Haynes and granddaughter Ella Cate Haynes; brother Tom and wife Kathleen Potts; and nieces, a nephew and cousins.
The Potts family will receive visitors at Lindenwood Christian Church on Tuesday 7/15 beginning at 10AM and a memorial service officiated by Reverend Geoff Mitchell will begin at 11AM. A graveside service will be held later that day at 3:30PM at Mt. Liberty Church in Water Valley, MS. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Evan Potts, Duke Leyman, Eli Wheeler, John Metcalfe IV, David Metcalfe and Johnny Metcalfe serving as pall bearers.
The Potts family requests that, in lieu of flowers, all memorial donations be made to Literacy Midsouth https://www.literacymidsouth.org/give-today to honor Ric’s commitment to literacy in Memphis.
If you are unable to attend, Lindenwood Church will be hosting a live feed of the service via their YouTube channel here Ric Potts Memorial Service.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38119 (901) 767-8930. “Where Memphis comes to remember, since 1924.”
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