Lloyd (Buzz) and Virginia (Ginny) Potter celebrated 73 years of marriage this past May. Photo Contributed
Virginia Bush Potter, 92, originally of Bethesda, since the 1920s, died on Aug. 4, 2016 in her Potomac home of 51 years, with her husband, Lloyd A. Potter, by her side.
Born in San Francisco on Dec. 7, 1923, the youngest child of Erna Olschewsky Bush, talented artist and master gardener, and George Pollock Bush, colonel in the U.S. Army and American University professor. Her parents hybridized irises at their well-known garden estate in Alta Vista.
Virginia was pre-deceased by her three brothers, George Bartram Bush, Richard Shepherd Bush and Edward Revenir Bush.
She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1941, where she especially enjoyed jewelry-making, as her brother Edward was skilled in that craft. Virginia also took college botany classes and a secretarial course. She was employed as a lawyer's secretary in Washington, DC.
On May 29, 1943, at age 19, Virginia married her first love, Lloyd Alden Potter, and embarked on her new life as farmer's wife during wartime. Later, she did bookkeeping and created the interiors for her husband's homebuilding business in Potomac, as well as homemaking and raising four children. In later years, Buzz and Ginny enjoyed traveling with family and friends. This spring, they celebrated 73 years together.
Along with her joys as seamstress and gardener, Virginia also used her endless creativity to produce quilts, braided rugs and hooked wool original art pieces. She enjoyed dyeing her own wool for these. In her 80s, she discovered watercolor painting. And as a lifetime vegetarian, she loved cooking interesting new dishes.
She is survived by one son, William B. Potter (Mary) of Bethesda, and three daughters, Marcia P. Waddell (Alexander) of Ocean View, Del.; Suzanne P. Linger (Frederick) of Lexington, Ohio and Carolyn P. Summerville (John) of Bethesda.
Virginia also leaves behind seven beloved grandchildren: Alexander Potter Waddell (Tiffany), Gregory James Waddell (Kelly), Brian Chadwick Potter (Brittany), Jessica Parker (Patrick), Charlotte Bethesda Linger, Michael Zachary Summerville and Clara Charlotte Summerville. She was pre-deceased by one grandchild, Potter Linger, in 1992.
She also leaves five precious great-grandchildren: Connor Reagan Parker, Kayla Shelby Waddell, Savannah Joy Waddell, Aubrey Catherine Waddell and Daniel Murphy Parker.
A garden memorial service will be held in early fall to celebrate her life and love of flowers. Find service updates plus sign the family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com.