Phillip Dean Potter, a resident of Norfolk, Va, passed away on Sept. 29, 2021 at his home from complications with cancer. He was born in Belleville, Illinois on Nov. 4, 1954. As a youth he was a member of the Black Knights Drum and Bugle Corps of Belleville, Il, and a member of the Order of DeMolay.

He served in the US Navy from 1975 to 1987. He served onboard the USS Enterprise as a technician of the fixed array radar and air traffic control radars. He taught communications equipment maintenance as a Master Training Specialist at the Great Lakes Naval Station, Chicago. He served onboard the USS John F. Kennedy as a technician of air traffic control and was a supervisor of the radar division.

Following his honorable discharge, he worked 12 years at the Naval Air Warfare Center in St. Inigoes, Md, supporting shipboard air traffic control systems. He then worked for the Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center in Norfolk, Va. providing onboard support of air traffic control and radar systems for numerous naval vessels.

He was a Scout Master for Boy Scout Pack 19, a leader of Boy Scout Troop 381, and Troop 5 of Norfolk. He was Committee Chairman for Boy Scout Troop 5 and an active member of the Order of the Arrrow.

He is proceeded in death by his father Earl Potter, and mother Joy (nee Wiesenborn) Bernier. He is survived by a stepson Igor Ponkratov of Norfolk, a sister Kathleen Martin (husband William) of Belleville, Il., sister Marjorie Besse (husband Dennis) of Belleville, Il., brother William Potter (wife Debbie Kellerman) of Knoxville, Tn. He has two nieces, three nephews, and three great nieces.

Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a date and time to be determined. Condolences can be expressed to the family by visiting vacremationsociety.com

He was a good man. Goodnight Irene.