Paul E. Potter was born on July 21, 1929 in Avon, Illinois, the son of Russell D. and Elva B. Potter. He attended grade school at Pleasant Prairie School, one mile from the home farm, and high school at Avon Community High School, where he played on the football team and was active in the Future Farmer's of America Chapter and 4-H club.

During his school years Paul was active with the purebred Polled Shorthorn cattle raised on the home farm, showing at local county fairs and breed sales. During the year following graduation, brother Lewis returned from service in the U.S. Army, and Paul left home for employment at Cherry Hill Farm, Reisterstown, Maryland, that was the leading Polled Shorthorn herd in America at that time. He traveled from Illinois to the job site in a railroad boxcar with a dozen heifers, a forerunner of many such trips in following years.

After a year in Maryland, he came back to Northern Illinois to work at Shore Acres Farm, Phrophetstown, Illinois, also with Shorthorn cattle. He remained there until he was inducted into service for the Korean War. Just before induction Paul met his future wife, Grace, in Maryland. They were married in December, 1951, prior to his reporting to California for duty in Korea during 1952.

Following discharge from the Army, Paul and Grace were employed to manage the Shorthorn herd at Susanna Farms at Lake Villa, Illinois. This herd was successful in showing and selling cattle, including the grand champion Shorthorn bull at the Denver Stock Show in 1957, as well as many other prize winners at Midwestern state farms and the International Stock Show in Chicago.

Due to the health of the owner, the Susanna herd was dispersed in 1959, and Paul and Grace went to Melbourne Farm, near Aurora, Illinois, and assumed management of that herd. They were employed there for 15 years, and sold cattle to several states, as well as exhibited winners at many state fairs and national shows. Due to the success in the show ring, Paul also judged state and national shows, officiating in 26 states and 3 Canadian provinces, including the International Stock Show in Chicago and the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada, the Canadian National at Brandon, Manitoba, as well as many national shows, state fairs and local shows.

In 1973 he wrote a history of the shorthorn breed, titles '25 Years of Shorthorns' which covered the breed history from 1946 to 1971.

Paul and Grace had three children, Dianne, Paul and Phillip, and after the children left home in l974, they moved to Lena, Illinois to a small farm they had purchased. Paul became involved with the farm auction business, first with Freeport Auction Service and later with P & D Auction Sales, managing and clerking auction sales with auctioneer Dale DeVries. Due to health reasons, he retired from auction sales in 1983 and began attending courses for licensing as a real estate appraiser. He founded Real Estate Appraisers, Inc. and the firm developed a customer base that extended from Interstate 80 across Northern Illinois to the first tier of counties in Wisconsin. Other appraisers were added and in 2000 the firm was sold, although Paul continued active as an appraiser until final retirement when he reached 75 years of age in 2004. As an appraiser Paul wrote another book, 'The Way It Was,' which covered the history of farming during his lifetime, documenting the many changes in agriculture in that time period.

Following complete retirement, due to his love of the grand old city, Galena, Illinois, Paul completed yet another book, titled 'The Galena Saga,' that summarized the history of that area from ear}y settlement trough the lead mines and the development of agriculture plus the later years of development as a vacation and resort center.

He is survived by his wife, Grace of Richland Center, daughter Dianne Walters-Butler of Lone Rock, Wisconsin, son Paul Potter of Lena, Illinois and son Phillip Potter of Denver, Colorado; 4 grandchildren, Rick, Phoebe, Aaron (April), Paulie; 5 great grandchildren, Damien, Richie, Dannielle, Allysa, Addison; and 2 great great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Russel Doan and Elva B Potter, 3 brothers, Art, George, and Gary and 2 sisters, his daughter in law, Regina and granddaughter, Sara.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 6:00 PM on Tuesday, June 28,2016 at the Leamon Funeral Home in Lena, IL.

Burial will follow at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at the Lena Burial Park.

The Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service and Leamon Funeral Home are assisting the family with their arrangements.