Barry Potter

On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, Barry Keith Potter, loving husband, brother, father, papa, and Uncle Bear to many passed away at USC Medical Center during surgery. He was 72 years old. Barry was born in Elizabethton, TN on January 8, 1950 to Harold and Edith Potter and moved to Bakersfield in 1959 where he attended Bakersfield High School and met the love of his life, Loraine.

On July 24, 1971, he married Loraine and never left her side for the next 50 years. They raised two sons, Keith and Greg, and created lasting memories of holidays and family vacations. But, nothing brought more joy into his life than spending time with his grandchildren, they had their papa wrapped around their little fingers…

Over the years Barry worked for the US Forest Service where he drove water tankers into forest fires and later was a park ranger for 7 years. He then ran the fleet as a Dispatcher for Kern County General Services for 20 years. After his retirement from the sheriff’s office, he earned his electronics degree from Bakersfield College and retired from the US Postal Service as an Electronics Technician in 2016.

Barry always had a passion for the outdoors. He loved gold prospecting and metal detecting. Barry was also a proud member of the PLP (Public Lands for the People) and the Kern County Prospectors Club. He was also an avid craftsman who made whirly gigs and wooden signs, restored vintage radios, and was able to fix pretty much anything. But, he was most known for his baked goods. Barry loved to bake cookies and pies, make peanut brittle and fudge, and later in life enjoyed growing yeast to make bread.

Barry was preceded in death by his father, his mother, and his brother Richard. He is survived by his wife Loraine, his two children, Keith and Greg (Samantha), his three grandchildren, Elizabeth, Richard, and Julianne, and his brother Steve. Barry was a kind and compassionate man who lived to provide and take care of his family. There are not enough words to describe how devastated we are and how much our world has changed. Papa…we will miss you so much and we will never forget you and everything you have done for us.