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Dorothy (Butterfield) Potts, 93

| March 1, 2020 2:00 AM

Dorothy (Butterfield) Potts, 93, of Bigfork went to be with the Lord on Feb. 19, 2020, at Rising Mountains Assisted Living.

Dorothy was born on June 25, 1926, in Kalispell to Theodore and Bernice Butterfield and spent her childhood on the East Lakeshore of Flathead Lake in Bigfork. She attended grade school and high school at Bigfork and graduated from Bigfork High School in 1944. Before marriage she worked in Seattle in the shipyards and returned to the Flathead Valley.

On Sept. 3,1947, she married Douglas Potts of Bigfork, and they were married for 63 years until his death in 2011.

Doug and Dorothy purchased land in the Swan River area near Bigfork where Doug started a dairy farm.

Dorothy spent all her time raising and running after seven children and, of course, with that came lots of gardening.

Words cannot describe Mom’s work ethic and determination to be the best wife and mother. She will always be remembered for her delicious home cooked meals and homemade bread, which she made in multiples. No one left her table hungry. She canned fruit and vegetables by the dozens. Her love for huckleberry picking astounded all; her record was seven gallons in a day.

In the late ‘60s Doug and Dorothy sold the dairy farm. In 1973 they were up for an adventure and moved to St. Paul, Alberta, where they farmed for 30 to 35 years. They then decided to purchase a service station and owned and operated that in the mix of all.

Their adventures included a trip to Mexico, Vegas, Hawaii and a month in Alaska.

They returned to the Bigfork area in June of 2008.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband Douglas, her son Les, two grandchildren Dusty and Amanda, seven siblings, both parents Theadore and Bernice, and son-in-law Brian.

Surviving Dorothy are three daughters, Dixie (Jerry) Rich, Lesa Cislo and Kevin Sears, and Denise Belt; three sons, Clyde (Barb) Potts, Lyle (Nan) Potts, daughter-in-law Joyce Potts, all of Bigfork, and Dale (Margaret) Potts of Smokey Lake, Alberta. In addition, 17 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews survive Dorothy.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, at the Little Brown Church, (Real Life Church), officiated by Ron Pierce.

The family requests any donations be made in memory of Dorothy Potts to Lone Pine Cemetery Lawn Maintenance Fund, or a charity of their choice.