IN MEMORIAM: Jane Potrikus, 89;

Owned Cooperstown Dry Cleaners

COOPERSTOWN – Jane Spraker Potrikus, 89, of Harwich, Mass., mother of 11 and past owner of Cooperstown Dry Cleaners, died Jan. 6, 2017, in Harwich, Mass., after a brief battle with cancer.

Her life centered on devotion to her family and to her Catholic faith. She was a communicant of and proud alto for the choir at Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich  where, until November 2016, she volunteered weekly for the Perpetual Adoration Chapel and work at the parish thrift shop.

Jane was the only child of Francis and Jennie Spraker of Little Falls.  She, in turn, is survived by nine children:  Ellen Barber of  North Adams, Mass.; James (Heidi) of Kansas City, Kan.; Joan (David) Bruce of Clifton Park; Michael of New Bern, N.C.; Joseph (Doreen) of Fly Creek; Timothy (Lisa) of Somers, Conn.; Ted (Angie) of Niskayuna; Marilyn (Joel) Habercorn of Hartwick; and Anthony (Peter) of New Bern, N.C. She also is survived by 25 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

She is predeceased by her parents, her husband John (1978), her son Charles (1975), and her daughter  Catherine (2011).

Jane was graduated from Little Falls High School and the Utica School of Commerce. She was employed at the H.P. Snyder Bicycle Manufacturing Corp. of Little Falls, where she met her World War II veteran husband-to-be, John M. Potrikus.

They married in 1948 and moved to Cooperstown, where Mr. Potrikus opened and operated the Cooperstown Dry Cleaners. Upon her husband’s death, she assumed the ownership of the family business and operated it with her son, Michael.

Jane moved permanently to Cape Cod in 1986, and was graduated from the Sheffield School of Interior Design in 1989.  She was employed by Bayfair Design Studio in Orleans, Mass., for many years. She participated in parish activities and community groups, and always welcomed family and friends to share her hospitality and love for the Cape. She enjoyed travels with family and friends and kept a busy schedule until the final weeks of her long life.

Jane spoke often of her deep pride for the accomplishments that each of her 11 children and their respective families had achieved. Her children and their families will continue to speak of her as a role model, wise and devoted advisor, cheerleader, and motivator to whom each could turn without hesitation.

Each whom she leaves behind and the many who knew and loved her throughout her life could fill pages with stories of her unassuming compassion, wit, courage, intelligence, selflessness, creativity, cooking, budget-stretching, and countless other skills for which she had boundless talent and energy.

Overriding them all would have been her quiet humility, because were she to read this particular paragraph she surely would chide its authors for overstating her place in our lives. For just this once, though, we respectfully would correct her.

Calling hours are 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 12, at  St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Catholic Church, Cooperstown.  The Liturgy of Christian Burial follows immediately thereafter (beginning at noon) at the church.

Jane’s family will be in attendance at a reception in the Parish Center after the Mass.

Interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Index follows at a date to be determined.

Arrangements are entrusted to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.