Thurman Ira Potts

Thurman Ira Potts

Funeral services for Thurman Ira Potts, 95, of Monroe, Louisiana will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 27, 2017 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Monroe, La with Rev. Tim Neustifter officiating. Visitation will be at Kilpatrick Funeral Home on Lamy Lane, Monroe, Sunday, March 26, 2017 from 5 - 7 p.m. and at the church Monday, March 27, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service. A private family inurnment will follow the service at St. Paul's Columbarium.

Potts came to NLU after a 20-year career as an architect in South Dakota to start what is now known as the School of Construction Management. He was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1921 and reared in Iola, Kansas. Potts received his B.S. degree in Architecture from Kansas State University and his Masters of Architecture from the University of Nebraska.

The day after the Pearl Harbor bombing Potts enlisted in the Marine Corps. He survived the "bloodiest 76 hours of World War II" at Tarawa and a year later was severely wounded in the battle at Saipan. He received the Purple Heart in 1944.

For two decades he was the director of the School of Construction Management and made other contributions to the area of construction education. He was among the founders of the American Institute of Constructors, the Associated Schools of Construction and the American Council for Construction Education. In his retirement he enjoyed golfing, fishing, traveling and spending time with family and always advising the School of Construction as a Professor Emeritus.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Elizabeth Potts, two sisters, Alice and Thelma Potts, and one grandson, Christopher Potts.

Potts is survived by his wife, Nadine, of 71 years; three daughters, Nancy Roberts, Jane Brown (Kenny), Diane Bee (Mike) and one son, Daniel Potts. Potts is also survived by six grandchildren, Susan Hopkins (Jeff), Amy Childress (Chris), Andrew Brown (Kathy), Emily Folk (Trey), Casey Potts and Cameron Potts and nine great grandchildren.

Memorials can be made to the Thurman I. Potts Endowment Fund at ULM or the charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com