Dennis Alan Potts

Dennis Alan Potts

On August 28, 2016, sometime in the early morning, Dennis Potts, 69, was ushered into heaven by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 42 years, Shelia (Owen) Potts and his 4 children: Elisabeth Alene Keck and husband, Jesse, of Greenville; Lydia Elaine Kane and husband, Brian; Thomas Alan Potts of the Philippines; and Julia Valle and husband, Amza, also of the Philippines. Dennis’ grandchildren are Michaela, Jeremiah, & Shiloh Keck, Mia, Sophia, Hugh, Jackson, Julia, Brianna & Natalia Kane. His children and grandchildren have enjoyed and benefited from his life long example of grace and faithfulness to them and to his God. They all appreciated his kindness and daily prayers for them.

Dennis was born to Robert & Doris Potts on August 24, 1947, in Bethlehem, PA, the middle child of three. He is survived by an older brother, Greg Potts, (wife, Sue) of Austin, TX and a younger sister, Deborah Williams, (husband, John) of Ft. Myers, FL.

Dennis graduated from high school in 1965 and went to Georgetown University in Washington, DC, because of their track & field program plus his desire to study German. He excelled in both fields, and spent his junior year studying in Germany. During his last few weeks there, he attended a musical program where a message was preached that changed his life forever. The question was asked if he were to die that night, where would he spend eternity. Since he didn’t know the answer, he went forward after the service to talk to the preacher, who gave him a tract. He took it home, read it and understood his need to accept Christ as his personal Savior. After graduation from college in 1969 with a BA in German, he enlisted in the Army, passing through basic and advanced training and the rigors of OCS. He was sent to Okinawa in March, 1971, attached to the Green Berets as a counter intelligence officer and spent some time in Thailand, teaching Cambodian soldiers.

During his military days, the Lord laid it on his heart to use his language ability as a foreign missionary. Upon finishing his tour of duty in January, 1973, he was advised by his pastor to attend Bob Jones University to get Bible training. He enrolled in June, 1973. He graduated in June, 1976, with a Masters in Theology. While at BJU, he met and married Shelia Owen, June 15,1974.

Because of his desire to serve the Lord on the mission field, he and Shelia joined Gospel Fellowship Association in 1976 and began deputation, for the field of Indonesia. They completed their deputation by November, 1977, and waited a year for paperwork from Indonesia, permitting them to enter the country. However, the Lord had other plans for them; they never received permission to go to Indonesia because of Dennis’ military background. Three single girls with GFA were in the Philippines, without a pastor to work with, so GFA ask Dennis & Shelia to consider changing fields. They prayed about it and decided that was God’s will, and in February, 1979, they arrived in the Philippines with Elisabeth, almost 4, and Lydia, almost 2. Tommy was to follow 7 months later.

The Pottses served in the Philippines for 34 years. Dennis was the founder and pastor of Gospel Light Baptist Church in Manila until 2009 when he turned the work over to a national pastor. In 2013 Dennis began having health issues, which were misdiagnosed for some time. Eventually in 2015, it was discovered that he suffered from Multiple Systems Atrophy. This debilitating disease finally took his life on Sunday, August 28.

The family will have a time of visitation on Tuesday, September 6, from 7-9 PM at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Greenville, SC. A funeral service will be held there on Wednesday, September 7 at 10 AM. Burial will be held at the M. J. "Dolly" Cooper Veterans Cemetery, 140 Inway Drive, Anderson, SC.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 115 Cedar Lane, Greenville, SC 29601 and Gospel Fellowship Association, 1809 Wade Hampton Blvd, Greenville, SC, 29609.