Sidney A Potts
Sidney Potts, obtained from an article in The Daily News.
Memorial by Christopher William Blackwell
“When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”
- Chief Tecumseh (1768-1813)
Sidney, known to us as Sid, was an ornery and very stubborn old man. The type of man, if you didn’t know him, who you’d probably try to avoid. However, it would be a grave mistake and a missed opportunity not to get to know one of the most generous, funny and loyal humans I had ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Sid gave so much to his friends and the community that surrounded him. It wasn’t unusual to see Sid cooking for 20 or more individuals in the unit. Okay, maybe he wasn’t *actually* doing the cooking, but he provided the food and always found a volunteer to do the cooking. He loved to feed people; where this trait derived, I honestly couldn’t say, but on more than one occasion I was the recipient of his generosity.
And it wasn’t just Sid’s generosity that made him stand out. Sid was a proud Native American/Chamarro full of honor, a warrior who put his life on the line to defend his — our — country. A man who when called upon was willing to step up and think of others before himself. Just another part of his generous side.
But my favorite side of Sid was his humor; this is where his ornery side lived. Sid kept it *REAL* with everyone — as if he had a truth serum injected into his veins. Even his closest of friends could find themselves on the receiving end of a dose of reality that often led to a room full of laughter — everyone got their turn. But it never felt harsh or mean; he had a way of dishing his comments out where you simply felt lucky to receive them. We all knew that they were never intended to harm — only to keep the mood light and bring a laugh. He was like a grumpy old grandpa: you don’t really know why he is so cool or fun to be around, but you know that you very much enjoy his company.
I was extremely grateful to know Sid. I am grateful for every laugh he brought and every story he shared. When Sid passed, we lost a good man, but it’s important to remember that all wasn’t lost because what Sid left behind will live within many of us forever.
Christopher William Blackwell can be reached on Twitter at @chriswblackwell and on his website, https://look2justice.org/. He is a journalist currently incarcerated at Monroe Correctional Facility in Washington State. This memorial was transcribed by MOL team member Frances Keohane.
From Mourning Our Losses:
Sidney Potts, courtesy of Sherry Lindblad by way of an online obituary published by Legacy.com.
Sidney Potts was born on November 7, 1950. He passed away unexpectedly at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington, on January 6, 2021.
According to Michael Moore, who is incarcerated in Washington State and who wrote an article titled “Our Outdated Washington Prison Leaves Us Vulnerable to Climate and COVID” in Filter Magazine, Sidney passed away from a heart attack. “His preexisting health conditions were exacerbated by the fact that he became infected with COVID-19,” Michael explained.
Sidney was living in a 160-resident living unit when the outbreak began. Within a month, all of the residents had been moved to quarantine quarters because they’d tested positive for COVID-19. According to Michael, Sidney sued the DOC over their handling of his vulnerable medical status.
Sidney is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas J. Potts and Rosa C. Brooker; his step-father, Verland Brooker; his daughter, baby girl Potts; a sister, Rosalie Mickelson; a nephew, Matthew Brooker; and his niece, Christina. He is survived by his wife, Diana Potts; a daughter, Jennifer Campbell; two sons, James Bernard and Jack Potts; a sister, Linda Sorsen; three brothers, Tom Potts, Danny Potts, and Ron Potts; as well as five grandchildren, many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
On his obituary page, Darwin McCoy recalled his “many memories of partying with Sid and drinking his moms homemade wine.” He also wrote about hitchhiking across the country to Florida with Sid in 1969; Darwin “could tell stories for hours about what [they] encountered and created along the way.”
Sherry Lindblad wrote on that same obituary page that “Sid was a real stand up man who did a lot for so many people and was really careing [sic].”
We stand with Sidney’s family and friends in mourning his unexpected passing.
This part of the memorial was written by MOL team member Frances Keohane with information from an obituary published by Legacy.com and reporting by Michael J. Moore in Filter.