Herschel Ray Poteet, 82, passed away on March 13, 2022, in Jacksboro. A viewing was held from 5-7 p.m. on March 17 at McMillan-Satterwhite Funeral Home. A Memorial service will be announced at a later date under the direction of McMillan-Satterwhite Funeral Home.

Herschel was born on Dec. 14, 1939, in Dickens, Texas, to the late Horace Lee and Dorothy Elvera Jones Poteet. He enlisted in the army on May 3, 1957. He married Karen Kaye Roberts on April 5, 1959, in Pecos, Texas. Through the years, they had various duty stations in the U.S. and abroad while having four children together. He had many accomplishments in the military including some of the highest test scores ever recorded in his field. He was a nuclear weapons specialist and in the 1970s was designated Fourth Man from the President in the Pacific Theater under Gerald R. Ford. However, in his opinion, his greatest accomplishment is that all four of his children were saved and subsequently baptized. In 1973 he found the place he would live out the remainder of his life with his family in Bryson, Texas.

He always made it a point to find a church home for his family to attend. The First Baptist Church of Bryson became that church home. He retired from the military in 1977 at the rank of Master Sergeant and started a dual career of welding and ranching. As his children grew, they married and had children of their own. He and Karen adopted Missy’s oldest child, Taylor, in 2004 and so began the adventure of child rearing again. Throughout these years Herschel dedicated himself to God and his family. He was a Deacon in his church for many, many years. He also taught a Sunday school class as well as filling in on occasion to bring a sermon. As the years went by, he felt such a calling from the Lord to be a faithful servant to God and a loving husband and father to his wife and children. When his last breath was taken in this world and he opened his eyes in Heaven, we have no doubt he heard, “well done, good and faithful servant.”

He is survived by his wife Karen Kaye Poteet, two sons; Wade Poteet, Taylor Poteet and wife Shelly, three daughters; Shayla Fargnoli and husband Kevin, Missy Poteet, and Debbie Poteet, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. By a brother, Syd Poteet, and by two sisters, Sandra Williams and Sue Simmons.

He was preceded in death by his parents, by three brothers: Gene Poteet, Bud Poteet, and Joe Poteet, and by one sister, Joan Murdock.