Henrietta “Ora” (Isham) Potter

August 4, 1908 – October 21, 2004

Ora Isham Potter, passed away in Huntsville, Alabama, October 21, 2004,

Born August 4, 1908, in Noble County, Oklahoma, she was the daughter of Henry F. and Etta (Wilson) Isham. She graduated from Perry High School in 1926.

Mrs. Potter retired from the El Paso Public Schools after 45 years of teaching special education classes in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. She began the first mainstreaming class for visually handicapped children in El Paso in the 1950’s.

In addition to teaching Braille, Mrs. Potter taught other special needs children in El Paso including physically handicapped classes at Mesita and Houston Schools.

She was a life-time member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association; El Paso Retired Teachers Association; Alpha Delta Kappa; Tejas Toastmistress Club; and the Cherokee Strip Historical Society. In each of these organizations, she held various officer positions for multiple years. She was a member of Trinity First United Methodist Church of El Paso.

Mrs. Potter is survived by her daughter Paula Potter Cushman and son-in-law Steve of Madison, Alabama, and former daughter-in-law Carrie Potter Peck of Sandy, Utah.

She was preceded in death by her husband Paul Ira Potter and son Rex Isham Potter.

Graveside Service for Mrs. Potter will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2004, at 11:00 AM at Restlawn Cemetery, 8700 Dyer, with Reverend Victor Colton of Trinity First United Methodist Church of El Paso officiating.