Birth date: Mar 15, 1936 Death date: May 27, 2023
James Allan Pothoff Jr. was born on March 15, 1936, and passed away on May 27, 2023, at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Joan Pothoff; children, James "Jimmy" Allan (Colleen) Pothoff III, Russell David (Carol Read Obituary
Q: What will you never forget about James?
A: Jim was a good-natured man. In the late '60s, my husband, Roy Kiggins, and I went to South Dakota with Jim and Joan to buy horses.
April Ruth
Tim here
Uncle jim is somekind of expression that he instilled in me
He has never left and he always will be there
Take care tina jimmyjoe russell
I hope good leads you everywhere
Tim here
Uncle jim is an expression on me
He has never left
He Will always be there
Take care tina jimmy joe russel and aunt Joan
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ Shoreline Memorial Services - Whitehall
I miss you Dad. My hero, my "Charles Bronson". Was so hoping that my retirement would mean a lot of time with you. God had better plans. Just knowing that you are no longer in pain or suffering brings me great comfort. I'll miss you forever. We haven't lost a man, we've lost one of a dying breed of men that the world needs.
This is what I posted last Fathers' Day, it sums it all up:
"Happy Fathers Day
To the man responsible for:
My work ethics. I will never forget seeing my Father come home from that awful foundry literally covered in black soot from head to boots, and wanting nothing more than a shower to clean off the ugliness. I didn't understand the hard work he did every single day just to keep us in a home and fed when I was a child. Responsibility to his family, and a dedicated employee to his employer. He didn't sluff off, he did what his employer paid him to do and was an employee who did more than what was expected of him. I learned to understand this as an adult and looked up to him for his dedication. Thank you Dad, for that.
My ability to understand HOW things work before attempting to fix them, along with the courage and confidence to take it on. Dad probably wasn't even aware how I watched intently when he was fixing things, whether it be a car engine block hanging from a tree limb about to go into the car, a tube TV or radio, or wrist deep in a boat motor clamped into a 50 gallon drum of water that he was trying to get running. I watched, learned and understood that the first thing you need to do is understand what makes it work. He also taught me that a cuss word or two in some cases seemed to get things going in the right direction. These experiences taught me that I could do things on my own given the correct tools and aforethought of how to repair and do it safely. This has been invaluable throughout my entire life. Thank you Dad, for that.
Being my Hero, my Charles Bronson, is what I often described to others about my Dad. Most people think of heroes as comic book characters or movie actors, someone in a fantasy of saving the world. I have a real life Hero in my Dad. A Charles Bronson quietness, yet you don't want to mess with him. Tough, sturdy, strong, unbending to idiotness. He didn't say a lot when we were young, but when he did it was important. He provided for and protected his family from outside harm. Thank you Dad, for being my hero.
Loving and respecting my country. Be a patriot and respect the laws, the law enforcers, and your freedom. My Dad wanted to enter the military to help keep this a free country and working democracy, but was denied entry because he had three children and a wife to take care of at home. I think this bothered him for many years, and that showed me how dedicated he is to his own country and fighting for our continued freedom from enemies who want to take it away from us. Thank you Dad, for instilling in me the importance of freedom and democracy.
Owning up. If you've made a mistake, own up to it. Don't blame others or pass the responsibility. Admit your error and correct it, or learn from it. The only person responsible for your actions is yourself. Thank you Dad, for teaching me that.
Independence along with Pride. Don't nudge for, or expect charity from others. If you are able bodied to take care of yourself, don't depend on others to do it for you. If you can work to pay your bills, you work. It's no one elses' responsibility to pay your dues. You created your lifestyle and debts, If you can't afford it, or don't have the means to keep it, don't buy it! Thank you Dad, for that.
Appreciate what you have, not how much it is worth to others. Back when I was a child we learned to appreciate the simple things. The really simple things. It wasn't about having the best, the most expensive things that make others envious. It was about what to do with what you have. You don't buy new if you can fix the existing. Simple. Care not what others think, do the best with what you have. Making something out of nothing was often practiced by myself and my two siblings. Junkyard findings were a joy and we spent so much time doing that, because we had visions of what we could do with our newfound treasures. The true meaning of "ones man's junk is another man's treasure". We lived that. Thank you Dad, for that.
Kindness and respect to others. Simple, if you have nothing nice to say...shut the hell up. Thank you Dad, for that.
Empathy and caring for others. If someone is down on their luck, or having a really tough time because of unforeseen circumstances, help them out. This doesn't mean helping those who refuse to help themselves, it is about helping those who simply can't do it. You've heard the expression, "He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it". He would do that in a heartbeat to someone who truly needs it. Thank you Dad, for that.
Don't put up false impressions of yourself to others. Be who you are, don't lie about who you are or what you've achieved. If people don't like you for who you are, walk away and forget them. They are not important in your life if they cannot accept you for who you are. True friends will accept YOU, not a misled interpretation of you. Thank you Dad, for that.
I have to be honest, I didn't always follow the spoken or unspoken lessons my Father taught me, I had bad years of bad decisions. So did my Dad. But, it's how we learn from those years of bad decisions, and rise above them that makes us what we are today. As a child I didn't have a lot of time with Dad, because of his never ending hours working and simply trying to keep the life going. When I did have an opportunity to spend time with him it was cherished and never forgotten. Those were the most special times, talking and being with him one to one.
I'm proud of my Dad, and will never stop learning from him.
Thank you Dad for all you've done to help make me the person I am today. You are special and appreciated.
With much Love, your daughter."
