Dr. Thomas Garland Potterfield, M.D. 07/28/1921 - 01/18/2019
Obituary
Dr. Thomas Garland Potterfield, MD, 97, of Charleston, WV, died January 18, 2019. He was born on July 28, 1921, in Charleston, WV, and was the son of Phyllis Henderson Potterfield and Garland Blair Potterfield. He is survived by his daughters: Ann Weimer (Jim) and Suzanne Pancake (Ed) of Charleston, Lucy Stec (Tom) of Walterboro, SC, Betsy Byers (Mark) of Leonardtown, MD; his sons: Tom Potterfield (Rebecca) of Haddon Township, NJ, and Michael Potterfield of Charleston; seven grandchildren: Tom Galperin (Elisabeth) of Cincinnati, OH, Meg Moss (Ken) of Sanford, NC, Tom Stec (Ciana) of Berlin, Germany, Blair Dellenbach (David) of Charleston, SC, Paul Pancake of Macon, GA, Ann Pancake of Hurricane, WV, and David Pancake of Charleston; and seven great-grandsons: James, Nathanael, Cooper and Tucker Moss, Eli and Alex Galperin, and Henry Dellenbach. Dr. Potterfield was preceded in death by his loving wife, Ann Hauslein Potterfield; his daughters, Katherine and Phyllis Potterfield; his brother, Clarence A. Potterfield; and his parents. He attended Sacred Heart Grade School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School (now Charleston Catholic High School) in 1939. He was a member of the football team and received a football scholarship to Georgetown University. He received his undergraduate degree (BS) from there in 1943, and his M.D. from The Medical College of Virginia in1946. He was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics , and was in the private practice of Pediatrics in Charleston, WV, for 26 years. He was clinical Professor of Pediatrics at West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston, from 1976 to 1988. Dr. Potterfield served as Chief of Staff, CAMC, for 1976. He was Chief of Pediatrics from 1960 to 1972. He was past director of Medical Affairs at CAMC and past Director and Chairman of the CAMC Physicians Medical Risk Management Program. Dr. Potterfield was instrumental in establishing the Bio-Ethics Program at CAMC and was past Chairman of its Hospital Ethics Committee. For many years he was Medical Director of Handicapped Children's Services for the State of West Virginia. He was appointed to the West Virginia State Bar Committee on Legal Ethics and the Lawyer Discipline Committee in 1990 and served on these committees until 1997. Dr. Potterfield served in the United States Army from 1947 to 1949. He was stationed at Walter Reed General Hospital in the Pediatrics Department, then stationed at Fort Hamilton Station Hospital, New York. On March 17, 1945, Dr. Potterfield married his childhood sweetheart, Ann Hauslein. They produced a loving family and instilled the gifts of service and responsibility into each child. They loved to entertain friends and family in their home and travel the world over. Their marriage was an example of true love and devotion. Dr. Potterfield also contributed to his community through his church, through Rotary Club, Serra Club, Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics, Children's Home Society, Catholic Charities, and many others. He had many outside interests including art, art history, sport cars (owned several MGs at one time and attended the Indianapolis 500 on several occasions), travel (especially in France), classical music (playing the piano quietly alone), reading, crossword puzzles. storytelling, and devotion to his Catholic Faith. While living at Edgewood Summit during the last five years, he was the "Unofficial Ambassador" who sat in the lobby and greeted everyone who entered. He was courteous and thankful for everything! Always dressed with a bow tie - his trademark. A Memorial Mass will be held at the Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Charleston, at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 26. There will be visitation with the family prior to the service at 10 a.m. in the Msgr. Sadie Gathering Space of the church. Following the Mass, there will be a reception for friends and family from 1 to 3 p.m. at Edgewood Summit, Baker Lane, Charleston. Special thanks to all those who assisted Dr. Potterfield in the last few years of his life, including the staff and many friends at Edgewood Summit and Arthur B. Hodges Center, and the Hospice nurses who comforted him and his family'. No words can express how much that care meant. In lieu of flowers to honor Dr. Potterfield, the family suggests donations to a local charity of your choice, such as WV Symphony, Catholic Charities, Gabriel Project WV, Read Aloud WV, Special Olympics. You may send condolences and memories to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com. Arrangements will be handled by Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, WV.
