Obituary of Sharon L. Potter

Sharon was born in San Francisco, CA, the first of 6 children born to Frank Don Sands and Vivian Kinchen Sands. Sharon grew up in Castro Valley, but after spending many summers at Big Basin, the family moved to Boulder Creek in 1959. In 1964, Sharon married Calvin Potter. They had one son, Douglas. They lived in Brookdale, Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond before settling, finally, in Santa Cruz in 1972 on the west side. After her retirement, these were happy years for her, spending time with her granddaughter Rebecca, working in the garden she loved flowers. Doing her art projects and spending more time with her husband and friends Sharon was in the first graduating class at Cabrillo College. She went on to San Jose State, earning a teaching credential which led to a long career as a teacher at Soquel Elementary School district. Sharon was a creative and energetic teacher, and was recognized with an outstanding teacher award in 1975. Many of the students over her long career remember her for the novel ways she inspired learning through exploration. A lifelong learner, after retirement, Sharon studied at Cabrillo and UCSC, developing her artistic talents. She received many prize ribbons of recognition and was selected for the people’s choice award at the Santa Cruz County fair in 2000. Sharon was physically and intellectually active, and loved travelling with Calvin, especially to square dancing festivals, RV camping in the redwoods, National Parks, State Parks, and Lake Tahoe.. Sharon is survived by her husband of 61 years, Calvin, her granddaughter Rebecca Potter of Modesto, Brother Ken (Tanwarin) Sands of South Caroline & Thailand, Sister Margie Plog of Grass Valley, many nieces and nephews, and their children, who will miss visiting in her garden, and receiving her sunny missives in their mailboxes. She was preceded in death by her son Douglas Brian Potter, in 2015, her parents, her brothers Jim and Don Sands, and her sister Colleen Sands. Sharon's words: Her true passions were family and friends. "In my memory remember I had a wonderful life, I was blessed for all the love I've received".