Christopher Potter

1969 - 2025

Christopher Potter

January 23, 1969 - July 12, 2025

Christopher (Chris) Thomas Potter, 56, passed away on July 12, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon, from a sudden cardiac event while playing soccer with friends. Born on January 23, 1969 in Lima, Peru to Thomas and Linda Lytle Potter, Chris spent his childhood in Peru, Uruguay, and Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) before moving to Lincoln, Nebraska.

Chris earned dual degrees in Physics & Mathematics and History & Philosophy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln followed by an M.S. in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Oregon. He held teaching and research positions at the University of Oregon, Lane Community College, Lewis & Clark College, and McGill University. As a physicist, he contributed to major particle physics experiments including ATLAS at CERN, DZero at Fermilab, and BaBar at SLAC. As first author on many papers and a co-author on countless others, he played a key role in advancing scientific knowledge -- introducing new discoveries to the world through his research.

Chris lived in many places across the U.S. and abroad, including Montreal during his postdoc and Geneva while working at CERN. When his children were young, he returned to Eugene to raise his family and reconnect with friends who were tough enough to play soccer in the rain -- a group he hadn't found abroad. He was a devoted father to Lyon and Atticus and was deeply proud of the young men they have become.

A celebration of life will be held on August 23, 2025, at Headquarters Winery, 325 W 4th Ave, Eugene, Oregon 97401 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).