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Arlene Mae Potts
05/05/1928 — 08/03/2019
From Richland, Washington | Born in Wichita, Kansas
Arlene Mae Potts
Arlene was born May 5, 1928, in Wichita, KS, and passed away on August 3, 2019, in Richland, WA, at the age of 91. She was born to John and Lenora Young, and was the fourth of seven children. She grew up in Missouri. In the late 1940’s she moved to Richland, WA, with her husband Ben Smart, where they raised their three sons, Mike, Dan, and Earl. She worked in banquet services at the Hanford House, and as a cook for the Richland schools. Eventually, she went to work at Hanford as a printshop technician until she retired.
The family enjoyed bowling, and she continued in a ladies’ league for many years, making several lifelong friends. She was faithful to attend all her sons’ baseball games as they grew up and kept scorecards for each game.
Together with her second husband, Carl Potts, she enjoyed camping and fishing, traveling, and wintering in Hawaii. She had a fun-loving nature and enjoyed playing harmless pranks on friends and family. One joke often repeated about her various surnames was that she was once Young, then got Smart, and later went to Potts!
She loved music and for three years while her son Dan and his wife chaired the Washington State Fiddle Contest in Richland, she gave an open invitation to contestants and judges alike to come to her house for lunch. Dozens of people spread out all over the yard and front room jamming and having fun. That was all the thanks she needed!
She loved to take walks and was proud of always taking one or two daily walks up until shortly before she died. She didn’t let the need for a walker stop her! Every Thanksgiving until 2018 when age caught up to her, she hosted the family dinner with her sons and their wives, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren sitting at tables set up in her living room.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Wendell and Dale, her sister Louise, and her husband Carl. She is survived by her brothers Kenneth, Lloyd, and Carroll, her sons Michael, Dan (Cynthia), and Earl, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Arlene will be greatly missed. Her memorial service will be held at 11:00 on Monday, August 12, 2019, at Einan’s Funeral Home. Donations may be made to the Tri-City Hospice.
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Arlene Mae Potts