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Nelson Thomas Potter Jr., September 22, 1939-May 12, 2013
Nelson, or Tom/Tommy as we knew him growing up, was the son of Nelson and Hazel Park Potter. He was our class validictorian and a wonderfully sweet guy who put up with us as his head was usually somewhere else. He graduated summa cum laude from Monmouth College in 1961 with degrees in philosophy and English. He continued his education and recieved a PhD in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University in 1969. He was a member of the faculty of Philosophy at the University of Nebraska from 1965 until 2010, having served as chair and director of UNL's Centennial Education Program. His specialty was Immanuel Kant.
In 1978 he married Kathleen Johnson and they had a daughter Sophia, a talented musician. In addition to his wife and daughter he is survived by brother Jim and wife Ann, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Barbara Potter. Interment was in Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska, and the funeral was June 22.
Books of poetry by Ted Kooser have been donated to the Mt. Morris Public Library in his memory by class members. Kathy wrote that Nelson relied on the Mt. Morris Library for interlibrary loan materials to expand his horizons. As his widow and a librarian, she was very appreciative of these gifts in his memory.
