Dr. Alexander Oberlander "Alex O." Potter

1897 - 1969  (71 years)

• Name	Alexander Oberlander "Alex O." Potter
  Prefix	Dr.
  Born	29 Sep 1897	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157570835
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Lutheran
  Occupation	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Student
  Residence	1921	22 Weber St. W. Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Residence	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Lutheran
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-179212
  Died	5 Mar 1969	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I179212	Generations
  Last Modified	9 Jun 2025

  
  

  Father	George Edward Potter,   b. Feb 1864, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Matilda Oberlander,   b. Apr 1867, , New York State, USA ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F176158	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Alexander O. Potter from Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

  
  

• Notes

  A Scholarly Gentleman Dr. Alex Potter, who died Wednesday at the age of 71, was a much-travelled man. In his career with Rotary International he travelled extensively in Europe, North Africa and Asia as well as North America. For all his travels, he loved best the Twin Cities, his home community. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the community's past and, in addition, an affection for its foibles. It was this affection that glowed in his Let's Reminisce columns written about the community's past. They were among the most memorable of the pieces he wrote in his series in The Record. Dr. Potter saw history made at the League of Nations as an observer. He taught history, too. In his career as an educator he was instrumental in the founding of Waterloo College, the predecessor to Waterloo Lutheran University, and served as the college's first dean. He was proud of the university's growth, proud of his home community's growth, and in his quiet way ever concerned with the progress of both. Dr. Potter was a gentle man and a gentleman. Kitchener-Waterloo Record Thu, Mar 06, 1969 Page 4 ________________ WRITER, TEACHER First College Dean, Alex Potter Dies Dr. Alex O. Potter, 11 Weber St. W., world traveller, teacher and writer, died today at St. Mary's Hospital after a brief illness. He was 71. He was instrumental in the founding of Waterloo College, now Waterloo Lutheran University, in 1923-24 and was the first dean and executive head of the college from 1924 to 1928. He began writing his weekly column in The Record prior to the 1954 civic centennial. Dr. Potter never missed a column, despite his many travels, until he entered hospital recently. He joined the secretariat of Rotary International in 1928 and served as European secretary from 1930 to 1937, in charge of the Continental European office at Zurich, Switzerland. In 1937 and 1938 he served as assistant to the Rotary International president. Dr. Potter travelled extensively in North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. For several years he attended sessions of the League of Nations as a special observer and in 1931 represented Rotary at the public conference on disarmament in Paris, France. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Order of St. Sava by the Yugoslavian government in 1936. During the Second World War, Dr. Potter worked for the department of national war service, Ottawa. He was also a veteran of the First World War. After the war, Dr. Potter Joined the staff of Waterloo College as a history professor. He retired in 1964 after eight years of teaching and was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters by Waterloo Lutheran University in 1965. Dr. Potter was born in Kitchener Sept. 29, 1897, and was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George E. Potter. He received his bachelor and master of arte degrees from Gettysburg College, and his doctorate from Columbia University, New York. He is survived by one sister Mrs. James T. (Virginia) Garrow of Toronto. The body will be at the Schreiter Sandrock Funeral Home until Friday noon when removal will be made to St Matthew's Lutheran Church for service at 2 p.m. Rev. Dr. John Schmieder will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Hope cemetery Kitchener-Waterloo Record Wed, Mar 05, 1969 Page 3

  
  

• Sources

  [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 28 Pg. 4. [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub Dist. 26 Page 5.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 29 Sep 1897 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Student - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Lutheran - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 5 Mar 1969 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth