Potter, Mitchell C. Loving husband and father, passed away on Mar. 20th, 2018 at the age of 63 after a hard-fought battle with lymphoma. Mitch is survived by his wife of 40 years, Elizabeth; his two children, Kyle and Laura; his mother, Charlotte; his siblings, Wade (Dagmar), Neal (Sharon), Christine, and Valerie. He is preceded in death by his father, Herbert C. Potter. Mitch was born May 29th, 1954, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, but he grew up, oldest of five, in Rockford, Illinois. He had incredible ambition that he poured into anything he pursued. He was a straight-A student, an Eagle Scout, and a champion swimmer who attended Illinois State University on a full athletic scholarship. There, he met his best friend, soulmate, and future wife, Elizabeth, affectionately known as Bizzy. Mitch was known for his keen intellect, quick wit, and wry sense of humor. He was admired for his calm, steady nature and positive outlook on life. Mitch's career spanned the fields of education, journalism, and business, retiring from his position with Mercer as their Global Web Director. After retiring three years ago, he wrote a suspense novel and was working on getting it published. Mitch always loved to write. Relatives and friends across the country looked forward to his humorous and quirky Christmas letter, filled with ridiculous puns. As a voracious reader, he instilled his love of reading in his children. As they grew up, Mitch read them science fiction authors like Ray Bradbury as opposed to traditional bedtime stories. He was a phenomenal dad who was active in all aspects of his children's lives. The family took many road trips together and especially enjoyed family holiday gatherings in Illinois. Later, Mitch and Bizzy travelled the world, including a once-in-a-lifetime trip last year with their children to Ireland to honor their Irish roots, enjoy its beauty, and tour Star Wars filming locations. Diagnosed with autism as an adult, he was a strong advocate for helping adults with autism find success in the workplace and had several speaking roles at autism conferences. A Celebration of Mitch's Wonderful Life will be held at The Marsh (15000 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345) on April 6th from 4-8 pm, with a program beginning at 5:30. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the Autism Society of Minnesota, or Mom's Demand Action For Gun Sense in America. Live Long and Prosper.