Alice Margaret (Rolf) Potts was born at home near Aliceville, Kansas on October 27, 1943. She was delivered by her grandmother, a midwife. Alice passed away in Salina, Kansas during the early morning of August 20, 2025. She was 81 years old.
Alice grew up on a farm in Coffey County with her parents, Herbert and Bernice Rolf, and her five younger siblings—John Henry, Walter, Thelma, Mary, and Joseph. She graduated at the top of her class at Westphalia High School. The first in her family to go to college, Alice graduated with an Associate’s degree from Iola Junior College and went on to earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Education from Pittsburgh State University.
She moved to Wichita, Kansas in 1967 for her first elementary teaching job. There she met George Potts, a high school biology teacher, who became her husband of 57 years. Together they raised two children, a daughter, Kristin, and a son, Rolf.
Teaching second grade students—for whom she was Mrs. Potts—defined Alice’s life. She was an outstanding teacher and relentless promoter of education. The majority of her 35 years teaching for the Wichita Public School system were spent at OK Elementary. She loved and promoted all subject areas in her classroom—reading, writing, math, and science. With her students and teacher colleagues, Mrs. Alice Potts initiated and led a campaign to name the Barred Tiger Salamander the state amphibian, a designation which was passed by the Kansas State Legislature on April 13, 1994. Among other awards, she received the 1994 Governor of Kansas Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to the State and the 1994 Kansas Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year Award.
Alice was also a deeply involved member of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Wichita, and, later, Assaria Lutheran Church, after she and George retired and moved to Saline County to be close to children and grandchildren. In both churches, Alice taught Sunday School, led Vacation Bible School, and served as Christian Education Coordinator.
Alice was an active and energetic mom, encouraging her children to explore the world. She enthusiastically shared her skills and interests in gardening, embroidery, sewing, and sending handwritten notes to friends and family. The Potts family loved hiking and camping. When Alice took up running and bicycling, her husband and children followed. One summer Alice joined the annual Bike Across Kansas event. Alice loved animals as well, and when she moved to Saline County after her grandsons Cedar and Luke Oak were born, she enjoyed dogs, cats, goats, and a donkey. She raised a few cattle for meat as well. When her grandsons reached school age, Alice volunteered in their elementary classrooms, and when they were in middle school and high school, attended their extracurricular activities, such as football games and cross country meets.
Alice is survived by her husband, George; her children and their spouses, Kristin Van Tassel (David Van Tassel) and Rolf Potts (Kiki Bush); her grandsons, Cedar Van Tassel and Luke Oak Van Tassel; and four of her siblings and their spouses, Henry Rolf (Beverly Rolf), Walt Rolf (Jackie Rolf), Thelma Jones (Ed Jones), and Mary Brownfield (Dean Brownfield). Alice was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert Christian Rolf and Bernice Grace (Crome) Rolf; and by her brother Joe Rolf.
A memorial service will be held at Assaria Lutheran Church (Assaria, Kansas) on September 20 at 11:00 a.m.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, the Nature Conservancy of Kansas, or Assaria Lutheran Church, care of Ryan Mortuary, Salina.