John Potter, Coast Colleges Building Supervisor, Dies

John Platt Potter of Costa Mesa, the man in charge of constructing many of the buildings at three Orange County community colleges, died last week after a 1 1/2-year battle with cancer, his family said Monday. He was 66.

Potter, who was director of physical facilities planning for Coast Community College District for 15 years before his retirement in 1984, died Friday at Mesa Verde Convalescent Hospital in Costa Mesa.

A native of South Dakota, Potter attended the Butte School of Mines in Butte, Mont. He enlisted in the Marines shortly before World War II and was aboard the USS California when it was bombed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He subsequently became a pilot and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, serving as a naval flight instructor.

After the war, Potter took up carpentry, specializing in building custom homes. He also taught carpentry at night classes at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. In 1969, the Coast Community College District, which governs Orange Coast, Golden West and Coastline community colleges, named him director of physical facilities planning. He oversaw construction of all buildings on the district’s campuses.

Among the new structures he supervised were the health center, fine arts building and literature and language building at Orange Coast College. One of Potter’s last projects before retirement was supervision of the Coastline Community College building in Fountain Valley.

He is survived by his wife, Charlotte H. Potter; sons Robert I. Potter of San Jose and John C. Potter of Dana Point, and a daughter, Jan Neth, of Santa Ana.

Burial services are private. However, a memorial and open house will be held Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the family home in Costa Mesa.

The family asked that expressions of sympathy be made in the form of contributions in his name to the Orange Coast College Foundation.