Herb Potts

1930 - 2020

On October 27, 2020, Herbert Arthur Potts walked fearlessly into Heaven to spend eternity with his Maker and Heavenly Father. Herb entered and left this world from the same hospital in Bozeman, Montana. He was born on March 2, 1930, to William and Fenna (née Flikkema) Potts. He was the youngest of five children and the only child to be born in the United States to his Dutch immigrant parents.

Herb spent his childhood between Bozeman and California attending school and working for his dad on the family farm. By the start of his ninth grade year, he was needed on the family farm due to WWII. That, along with a life-threatening illness, ended his high school career. He spent the rest of his youth working on the farm, raising sheep, and riding his favorite horse "Scout."

In 1952, at age 22, Herb enlisted in the US Army during the Korean War. Herb served much of his two years in the Army as a drill sergeant to new recruits instead of being shipped overseas. Mercifully, Herb's life was spared by God's intervention: his unit suffered severe losses in Korea, and all but two members died.

After his honorable discharge in 1954, Herb settled down in the Gallatin Valley where he married the love of his life, Evelyn Danhof. Together they raised four rambunctious boys: Bob, Dave, Jim, and Andy. Though Herb did not have a high school degree, he went on to build a very successful water well drilling business that he started in 1964, and ultimately passed on to his son Dave in 1992. Herb was a natural at well-drilling with his understanding of geology and an innate ability to find water including the occasional use of dousing (as pictured).

In 1985, Herb's life was spared once again by God's Divine intervention. While on a jobsite, a piece of metal fractured off a sledgehammer head and pierced through Herb's side and into his heart. While he was being airlifted, he bled out, and Jesus revealed Himself to Herb and comforted him. He assured Herb that he would be okay. After surviving such a harrowing event, Herb was a changed man: more patient, compassionate, loving, and gentle. It was truly life-changing.

Following the sale of the business in 1992, Herb was blessed with a long retirement with his wife Evie. He spent much of his time with family, including his four boys and eleven grandchildren, traveling around the United States, camping, skiing, hunting, and fishing. Herb loved the Lord with all his heart and was very active in Gateway Community Church for many years. In the final years of his life, Herb and Evie relocated to Churchill, Montana, where they were members of First Manhattan Christian Reformed Church.

Those who knew Herb knew him to be strong in every sense of the word. He was strong-willed (much to Evie's chagrin some days), strong-minded, and a physical force to be reckoned with when he needed to be. As he aged, his strong body became the perfect mechanism for the world's best bear hugs, to which many people will attest! He was incredibly sharp and gifted with figuring out how things work and tinkering on machines. He knew how to fix everything. Herb was also philosophical, an avid reader, and thought deeply about complex topics ranging from religion to morals, politics, and history. He was also very witty and was known for his "Herb-isms" or funny phrases that he would make up.

Herb was preceded in death by his parents William and Fenna, his oldest brother Albert Potts, an older sister Faye Dykstra, and several other brothers- and sisters-in-law. He is survived by his wife Evelyn, with whom he had just shared their 64th wedding anniversary on October 12, his brother John (Evie) Potts, and his sister Margareth Krstich. He is also survived by his four sons, Bob (Lisa), Dave (Carolyn), Jim (Bonnie), Andy (Mary), 11 grandchildren, 4 grandchildren in-laws, and 3 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to ZoeCare, the Gallatin Valley Pregnancy Caring Center. A memorial service is pending.