Ethelda Oaks Potts, age 89, of Tuscaloosa, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2024, at her home, Traditions Way at Capstone Village, with her family at bedside. Truly, Ethelda was a remarkable woman; her legacy will remain vividly visible in the many people whose lives she lovingly graced with her gifts.
The Witness to the Resurrection and Service of Thanksgiving for Ethelda's life will be held in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa Saturday, June 8, at 2:00 pm, with the Rev. Michael Bailey and the Rev. Dr. Clinton Hubbard, Jr. officiating, and the family will receive friends in Warner Hall after the service. Skelton Funeral Home in Reform, AL will handle the arrangements.
Ethelda was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Lester E. Potts, Jr., mother Mary Ernestine Smiley Oaks, father Owen Candler Oaks, and sister Aleatha Jayne Oaks Kinard. She is survived by her only child Dr. Daniel "Danny" Christian Potts, daughter-in-law Ellen Woodward Potts, beloved sister Claire Oaks (all of Tuscaloosa); granddaughters Julia Margaret Potts of Birmingham and Maria Christian Potts of Morgantown, WV; first cousin James Franklin Oaks III and wife Ann Lay Oaks of Huntsville, AL; and a host of nieces and nephews and their children.
Ethelda distinguished herself as a woman of excellence, refinement, gentility, and grace, who spent her long life sharing her manifold gifts for the betterment of others. To know her was to know a person of dedicated vocation and rare talents, too many to mention. Some that rise to the top are consummate educator, gifted musician, faithful church staff member, community leader, compassionate caregiver,
exemplary cook, loving family member, and nurturer of life's finest and most beautiful treasures.
Ethelda was born on December 31, 1934 in Booneville, MS, into a lineage of educators and community leaders. She graduated high school at age 16, and, after attending Hinds Junior College in Raymond, MS, received a BA in English from the Mississippi State College for Women. She married her dear husband, Lester E. Potts, Jr., of Ethelsville, AL, on September 6, 1959. Initially, the couple made their home in Columbus, MS, moving to Aliceville, AL in 1962 where their only child, Danny, was born in 1966. After 37 years in Aliceville, Ethelda and Lester retired to Northport, AL in 2000.
Ethelda had a long and influential career as an English teacher and librarian. She generally is regarded by Pickens Countians as one of the finest junior high and high school teachers in modern memory. She routinely augmented required reading selections with age-appropriate classics, so students could broaden their appreciation of good literature — fiction, non-fiction, and drama. With her older students she produced and directed classic American plays such as Our Town, a first for many of those she taught.
She transitioned from school librarian to Aliceville public librarian in the 1970s, a position she held for over twenty years. Her tenure was characterized by many innovative educational programs for children, including a summer reading program and an after-school program where community professionals discussed their occupations with young students. Additionally, she wrote a cultural /educational column for the Pickens County Herald for approximately 20 years ("Lines from the Library"). In 1987 she was a leader in establishing the first Camp Aliceville reunion for former German prisoners of war and American staff. She collected, organized, and preserved memorabilia gathered from the reunion, artifacts which later became the centerpiece of the Aliceville Museum.
As one of her friends said, "Ethelda's cultural legacy in the Aliceville community cannot be measured." She founded and directed the Aliceville Civic Chorus and the Aliceville Little Theatre, which, under her direction, offered such productions as Arsenic and Old Lace, The King and I, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, Driving Miss Daisy, and many others, that are still spoken about as cultural touch stones in the West Alabama Community. She was a founding member of the Browsers Club, a local monthly book review club, and took leadership roles in the Arts Club and New Era Arts Club. She was known for her volunteer work in community service to those less fortunate than she, and townsfolk considered her the go-to consultant for matters of culture, the arts, education, and the written word. She sang in several performances of major choral works with the Tuscaloosa Community Singers and, after moving to Northport, she became a member of the Quest Club, a women's literary guild.
She lived out her rich life of faith as a servant leader in her long-time church, Aliceville First United Methodist, where she served as Director of Music for 25 years, Administrative Board member, Sunday school teacher, Bible School music leader, Youth and Children's Choir director, and faithful member of the Couples Sunday School class. She offered her musical gifts to the broader community as a frequent vocal soloist, piano recitalist, and piano and voice teacher. Whenever a program was needed in the community, Ethelda Potts usually was the person who organized it, often drafting Danny and Claire (and later Ellen) to perform. After moving to Northport, she joined First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa, where she was a member and teacher in the Lee Class, a member of the chancel choir, and served on several committees.
She received numerous honors and community accolades, including the Citizen of the Year Award from the Aliceville Area Chamber of Commerce, and a special commendation by the Aliceville City Council upon on her retirement from the Aliceville Public Library. She was a member of the Aliceville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Pickens County Cattleman's Association, and the Pickens County Historical Society. Her most recent honor, given April 20, 2024, was the Women in American History Award given by the Pickens County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor her many cultural accomplishments.
Honorary Pallbearers are Dr. Ross Vaughn, Dr. Patricia Antero, the staff of Traditions Way at Capstone Village and Hospice of West Alabama, and Ethelda's private caregivers — Gwen Kelly, Melanie Dollar, Constance Crowell, and LaChasity and LaTasha Wilder — all of whom exemplified the utmost in compassion, empathy, and professionalism.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Cognitive Dynamics Foundation, 136 Covey Chase, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 or  Caring Days Adult Daycare Center, or the charity of one's choice. The family expresses gratitude to friends for condolences received, too many to number.