Lucie (Beck) Potts

New Glasgow/Halifax - Lucie (Beck) Potts. It is with profound sadness that we, Lucie’s family, announce her passing on March 6, 2018 in Northwood Centre, Halifax. Lucie was born in New Glasgow, November 29, 1922, the 8th of a family of eleven to Bessie (MacNeill) (1938) and JHC Beck (1956). Lucie lost her mother as a teenager and, thereafter, became the mother to the youngest three while her dad toiled to provide for his family during the Depression years. In her late teens she successfully completed a stenography diploma and moved to Toronto, working two jobs to assist her dad with the finances at home. Returning to New Glasgow during the war, she reunited with and in 1946 married Clarence A (Clary) Potts (1990), a local athlete and St FX alumnus who was her hero and whom she loved to the end of her life. In 1947 and 1950 respectively she gave birth to her two daughters: Susan Clare and Frances (Fran) Kent (2003). Lucie was a natural homemaker. She performed with enthusiasm and skill all the activities of motherhood. In addition to her ability as a pastry chef she was a talented seamstress, quilter and knitter, making all of her girls’ clothes, especially for Christmas concerts, music festival performances and graduations.  When the girls were in high school she returned to the work force as a stenographer with Sobeys Inc., then Scott Paper and, finally, as Executive Assistant to Ralph Fiske, a Nova Scotia Cabinet Minister and successful hotelier. During the Fiske years she commenced her first degree through the St FX extension program. She later received a Bachelor of Arts at age 56, Bachelor of Education and Master on Arts from that institution. Upon completing her BEd, Lucie taught English at New Glasgow High School from where she retired in 1992.  She left her mark as a teacher who excelled at teaching and supported her students with extra help both during school hours and on her own time. She had an uncompromising requirement for quality from her students and an unfailing desire that each student meet their highest performance possible. Upon retirement, she maintained a busy schedule as a dedicated swimmer, skater and curler, even into her late eighties, while operating The Samson B&B out of her home.   She spent substantial amounts of her time with each of her three grandchildren: Nicolas, Ashlea and Jason. That time included trips to Europe, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Florida and across Canada.  Lucie proudly attended every graduation, athletic and musical performance of each of her children and grandchildren, including Susan’s LLB graduation in 1977, Fran’s swearing in as a Provincial Court Judge in 1988, Nicolas’ admission to the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society in 2003, Ashlea’s Bachelor of Arts commencement and Jason’s graduation from medical school. Her final travels took her to Boston, Mass, where she witnessed Jason’s graduation. Each of the successes of her children and grandchildren were the highlights of her life. She remained humble in acknowledging her own achievements.   In addition to her mother, father, husband and daughter, Fran, she was predeceased by sisters: Lillian (Beck) MacIntosh (James); Dwina (Beck) MacLean (Walter); Thelma (Beck) Sangster (Charles); Alma (Beck) Bruce (Bill); Marguerite (Beck) Fillmore (Frank); bothers: Boswell Beck (Rose); Vernon Beck (Isabel); John “Jack” Beck (Laurie) and James Beck (Denise).   Lucie is survived by daughter Susan Clare Potts (David Meadows) in Halifax; grandchildren: Nicolas Andrew Barr (Sarah Lewis), in Dartmouth; Ashlea Suzanne Barr in Dartmouth and Jason Potts Meadows in New York City. She is also survived by sister, Isabel (Beck) Gallant; special daughters: Susan Leighton and Tanga (Leighton) Roche; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. The family wishes to thank nephew Roy Beck (2017), his wife Margie, Karen Russell, the Pictou County VON, Aberdeen Hospital staff and Northwood 7 C staff, Halifax, who assisted when immediate family support alone was not enough.    Rev. Dr. Morley Shaw will conduct a Service of Celebration of Lucie’s long and blessed life in R.H. Porter Funeral Home Chapel, 55 Almont Avenue, New Glasgow on Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 2pm, with a reception to follow. Interment will be at Lorne St Cemetery in the family plot. Family flowers only please. Donations in honour of Lucie can be made to the Judge Fran Potts Scholarship Fund, Dalhousie University, Office of Advancement, Coburg Place, P.O.15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2 or Leprosy Mission of Canada, 200-90 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario, L3R 6H3. Condolences may be sent by visiting: www.rhporter.ca