| Bill was born March 1932 in Baltimore, Maryland, son of Anne Bernadine
Foller, and George John Potthast, designer of Potthast Brothers furniture.
He attended Loyola High School and then Carnegie Tech, class of 1952. The Potthast family moved to Winter Haven, FL, in 1962. His first job in Winter Haven was as a photographer for the News Chief where he built his portfolio and developed his passion for portraiture. He opened his first photography studio in downtown Winter Haven in 1964. There he developed an international reputation as an award-winning portrait photographer, capturing the essence of Presidents, national sports figures, countless families and executives. He earned his Masters of Photography and Craftsman degree and was a Past-President of Florida Professional Photographers. Today the family business he built, Potthast Studios, continues as an active contributor to the community. William "Bill" Potthast, 79, of Winter Haven, died on Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 due to respiratory illness. Bill was devoted to his Catholic faith and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for nearly 50 years. He was a lifetime member of Knights of Columbus, Winter Haven Rotary Club of Winter Haven, little league baseball coach, golf enthusiast, and loving husband and father. He loved baseball and pitched four consecutive no-hitters at Loyola. Bill is survived by his wife Alice of 16 years; four daughters: Karen Potthast Allen of Lyme, NH, Krista Potthast-Haynes of St. Petersburg, Florida, Amy of Portland, OR, and Dorine Tyson of Alto, GA; five sons: William "BJ" of Columbia, SC, Kevin Potthast, M.D., of St. Petersburg, FL, Kyle of St. Petersburg, FL, Michael of Winter Haven, FL, Daniel of Sarasota, FL, and Billy Johns of Lakeland, FL. He is also survived by 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and his sister Sr. Anne Colette Potthast, SND de Namur, of Stevenson, MD. He is pre-deceased by his sister Mary Potthast Hunt of Ellicott City, MD. Visitation will be at Crisp Coon Funeral Home in Winter Haven, Sunday June 5th from 5-8 pm, with a funeral at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winter Haven on Monday, June 6th at 11 am. (The Lakeland Ledger- June 4, 2011 ) |