Obituary of Joanne Potters Gow

Joanne Potters Gow passed away gently on December 21, 2021 after a brief battle with cancer. Joanne was born in Queens, NY to Florence Messeroll and Paul Potters on February 17, 1938. Referred to as the "Long Island Swimming Star" by her local newspaper, Joanne was an accomplished swimmer and diver in her youth and her competitive spirit spilled over into golf and bridge in her adulthood. Joanne was an accomplished golfer with an impressive list of "wins" as well as a brilliant bridge player who studied the game, always striving to get better. She loved the challenge of self-improvement and has passed that value on to her children and grandchildren. Joanne married William Crawford Gow III in 1971. Each bringing 4 children into the marriage, they created a blended family that rivaled The Brady Bunch. They began their marriage in Plainfield, NJ and relocated to Darien, CT where they lived on Butler's Island for many years until they relocated to Ocean Reef in Key Largo, Fl. Wherever she was, Joanne loved to entertain, whether it was hosting family reunions or gathering friends for a theme party. She was generous and fun-loving, full of life and always game for the next great adventure, even after her beloved Bill passed away in 2006. Toward the end of her life, Joanne loved doing Sudoku puzzles with a big eraser in one hand and the answer sheet in the other. She would tell us "I'm not cheating, I'm just checking". She relocated back to Darien during the COVID pandemic to be closer to family. Joanne is survived by her four children (Lisa Hartman, Chip Williams, Daphne Williams and Jeffrey Williams), her four step-children (William Crawford Gow IV, Melinda Haffeman, Margaret Trautmann and Marcie Pajolak) in addition to 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She was loved by all and we are grateful for the legacy she has left us with. The family asks that if you feel inclined to pay tribute to Joanne, please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association. http://act.alz.org/ and click on "Donate" in upper right corner.