Mrs. Betty R. Potts

Obituary Betty Ruth affectionately called Baby Ruth (she loved baby ruth candy) was the only child of Rev. Josephine Robertson and Mr. Clint Wright on February 13, 1937 in Moffett, Oklahoma. Betty Ruth attended the Moffett Elementary school. She use to tell us how she and Alizue Newton (her grandmother) and the late Emanuel Newton use to walk from Moffett, Oklahoma to Fort Smith, Arkansas to the Baptist church. In those days they ate at church and stayed the entire day and half the evening and did not complain. They loved going to church and praising the Lord. There was a flood that hit Moffett, Oklahoma and destroyed their home so they came to Kansas City, Missouri where Betty Ruth’s Aunt Murlee stayed. Betty Ruth told us fond stories of when they lived with Aunt Murlee Owens. She owned a beauty shop and her husband owned an ice cream parlor along with a barber shop. Betty Ruth said her hair was always fixed and Aunt Murlee dressed her in new apparel all the time. At this time they went to Friendship Baptist Church where Aunt Murlee and her husband went. Later, Betty Ruth went to Bishop Chambers Evangelist Temple Church of God In Christ on Benton Blvd with her grandmother Alizue Newton and the late Emanuel Newton. Betty Ruth would always say, “we could not play jacks, jump rope nor go to the movies it was ALL sin. They began to travel with Bishop Chambers and sang for the Lord. prayed and loved the Lord. Since Betty Ruth did not have any siblings she considered Emanuel Newton, Betty Nave, Mary Lois Hill, Dorothy Reliford-Hurst, Jodie Taylor and Ledie Wesley-Gilbert her brother and sisters……we called the first cousins, “The Wesley Singers” featuring Emanuel Newton. Betty Ruth would tell us how Emanuel Newton would preach to all the drunks on the corner. She had a great love for all her family members. Betty Ruth met the love of her life (Ferris Sonny Potts) at her cousin the late Cecil Brown’s house. They married July 11, 1953 and celebrated years of marriage. She joined Pastor Emanuel Newton’s church with her 9 children in 1964 and Nonnie and mom never left. Our neighbors said, we were the rich kids because mom would not let us go outdoors to play. Mama had us to pray and go to church sometimes every night, but we enjoyed church very much. Betty Ruth loved to work for the church in silence that’s what got her, Patricia Douglas and Ruby McClellan their name “The Silent Workers.” Whatever the first family needed and wanted the “Silent Workers” made sure the request was fulfilled. Mama loved to travel with the church, then she started taking cruises with Steve and Verma Brown’s “Traveling with V’s LLC” travel agency. Then I (Nonnnie) organized the “BFGT” group in the church to find raise and do whatever the church needed. Mama was glad to be in that group she would tell me different ideas she had but I had to present them to the BFGT and run with. Once again she worked in the background and raise a lot of money. She would tell each one of us 9 kids what to give her so she could make her quota in the BFGT group….by the way it stands for “Bunch of Folks Getting Together those were the Glory Days! Bishop Newton had the senior members start the “Revival” choir mama was so excited to be singing again for the Lord. We just started another group in the church “AFOU” which stands for “A Few of Us” mama was so happy to be a part of this group. We shall make her proud. “Per Teresa (the baby girl) Mom took care of 9 kids and 9 kids took care of her.” Betty Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; a son Felix Potts. She leaves to cherish her memory: her husband Ferris A. (Sonny) Potts, her children Anita Y. (Nonnie) Potts, Edna Alexander (David), Frances Cunningham (Raymond), Ferris A. Potts Jr. (Jackie), Peggy Rowell (Anthony), Randy Potts (Debbie), Larry Lee Potts, Teresa Hill (Greg), Vernon Potts (Linda). A host of grandkids, great grands, her sisters “The Wesley” singers. Many special cousins too many to name. Funeral Service will be held Thursday, August 11, 2022,11:00am at Christian Tabernacle COGIC. Interment Forest Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10am-11am at the church. Service conducted by Lawrence A. Jones & Sons Funeral Chapel. Condolences may be shared on our website. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mrs. Betty R. Potts, please visit our floral store. Read More

Mrs. Betty R. Potts

February 13, 1937 - August 2, 2022