Pamela J. Potter (2026-06-14) — Obituary

On March 3, 1948, Anna and Clifton Jacobs welcomed their oldest child, Pamela, into their lives. The war was over, Clifton had a good job, and they lived in a spacious Manhattan apartment with his widowed mother, Elizabeth, his cousin Marvella and her husband Arthur. (Pam’s Godparents). In April of 1948 Pam was Christened in Union Baptist Church in Harlem. Pam was small, bright, and inquisitive from the start, and once she started walking, it became an adventure to keep up with her in that 8-room apartment with many hiding places. In the summer of 1950, Pam’s younger sister Yvonne was born, and Pam had a new “toy”. Clifton and Anna moved to lower Manhattan with their girls.Pam attended public schools in Manhattan, graduating from Commerce High School and entering Manhattan Community College.Pam loved fashion! When she got her first job as a secretary at MGM her paychecks were spent on new clothes, shoes and handbags she would purchase from nearby 5th Avenue stores. Clothes, hair and nails would have been an apt description of 1960’s Pam. Pam began dating a young man named Victor Potter they married in 1968. In 1969 Pam and Vic became the parents of twin boys, Victor Maxwell and Jemal Francisco. Victor and Jemal were not only first born, but they were also first grands to maternal and paternal grandparents. Pam’s employment was now as a housewife and a mother, and she was in her element. BestDressed Mom and Kids in the Neighborhood. The boys grew up and the family moved to Bronx, NY.After moving to the Bronx, Pam returned to the workforce as a secretary at Wake Eden, the childcare center in which Victor and Jemal were enrolled and then as a Medical Secretary at Beth Abraham before moving over to The Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she advanced to the position of Executive Assistant to the CEO of Montefiore Medical Center. While working in the Hospital System, Pam decided to pursue her bachelor’s degree and enrolled in The College of New Rochelle from where she graduated with a degree in Psychology. While attending CNR, Pam became a member of TAU GAMMA DELTA Sorority.Jemal and Victor graduated High School and went into the military. Pam and Victor separated and eventually divorced. Pam went on to become a legal secretary for a “White Shoe” law firm and continued to progress in her position until she retired as executive secretary to a partner of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Law. Pam flourished in retirement! Traveling, church choirs, theatre, collecting art, making new friends and reconnecting with old ones.In 2021, Pam moved to Middletown, Delaware with Jemal and his family. Once again, making new friends, finding a church home and joining the choir. She remained there until now…Pamela is survived by her sons: Victor (Nicky), Jemal (Judith), her grandchildren: Khafre, Nicholas, Tariq (Meghan), Jaiya and Jemal, her sisters: Yvonne, Elisabeth and LaShekia (Isaac) her nieces and nephews: Nathaniel, Evanna, Jason, Janelle, Kira, Christian, her best friends Yvonne Tuitt and Merle Carroll, Sophia Potter and her “adopted sons”: Mamadou Diakite and Sean Weekes, and a host of relatives and friends.

Pamela J. Potter

In remembrance of Pamela J. Potter

Sign the guestbook