Senate Concurrent Resolution 567

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF FORMER RIENZI MAYOR DAVID POTTS, AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, David Potts, 68, a former Mayor of Rienzi, Mississippi, passed away on January 5, 2010. He was a member of the Booneville Church of Christ and a retired employee of the Mississippi Department of Transportation; and

WHEREAS, Potts has long been a figure in Rienzi's government, serving two terms on the Board of Aldermen and four terms (16 years) as Mayor; and

WHEREAS, his four terms as Mayor were nonconsecutive, with the last two terms being from 2001 through 2009. That gave him a total of 24 years in the town's government; and

WHEREAS, Rienzi's new Mayor, Walter Williams, served two terms on the board with Potts and also worked with him for 19 years at ITT. He described Potts as a mentor. Williams, who was elected last year as Rienzi's first African-American Mayor, said it was Potts' encouragement that prompted him to run for Mayor; and

WHEREAS, he was an inspiration to this community through hard work. Born in Decaturville, Tennessee, Mayor Potts moved to the Corinth area in 1955 and graduated from Biggersville High School in 1959. He retired from the Mississippi Department of Transportation and previously worked for ITT and Corinth Machinery; and

WHEREAS, immediate survivors include his wife, Mollie Joe Weatherbee Potts; one daughter, Vickie Baker (Jay) of Rienzi; two sons, Chad Potts (Gina) of Rienzi, and Travis Potts and special friend, Tony Linan, of Denver, Colorado; one brother, Joe Randel Potts of Rienzi; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Pace, Alice Dodds, Mollie Pace, Megan Pace, Daniel Baker, D.J. Baker, Ayla Childers and Elijah Potts; four great-grandchildren, Hugh Thomas Dodds, Preston Dodds, Chloe Dodds and Greenlee Hodges; and two aunts, Anna Jane Smith (Collins) and Lucy Nunnery; and

WHEREAS, David Potts had a love for training horses and teaching young children how to ride and care for horses. David Potts will be missed in the Town of Rienzi; and

WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we note the passing of a respected and popular public servant of Alcorn County and the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commend the life and legacy of public service of former Rienzi Mayor and Alderman David Potts, and extend to his surviving family our sympathy on his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of David Potts, forwarded to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of Rienzi, Mississippi, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.