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HORACE MONROE Died October 16, 2011. He was born April 5, 1930 in Turnersville, Texas to Horace and Elizabeth (Ulmer) Poteet. His father was a Methodist Minister and the family moved often to various small Texas communities during his precollege years. He started undergraduate school at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth on a Methodist scholarship. Knowing that he wanted to study physics and math, he transferred to North Texas State Teachers College in Denton and obtained his masters degree in physics in 1951. During his final year at school a recruiter from Bell Labs approached him suggesting that he look at Sandia Corporation as a possible employer. The subsequent interview convinced him that both Sandia and Albuquerque were his future career destinations. On March 23, 1952, he went back to Denton to marry his college sweetheart Joy Hook who had recently graduated from Texas State College for Women. Horace and Joy have been happily married ever since. In 1956, he joined the active duty USU Naval Reserve where he attended Officer's Candidate School. At his request, he was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Nuclear Weapons Training Group at Sandia Base---now Kirkland Air Force Base and home of Sandia National Labs. There he taught maintenance and repair of the MC1 and MC3 fusing radars. By 1956, the couple was settled into their own home in the far northeast heights of Albuquerque with their first son, Horace Wesley Poteet who now lives in Colorado. They have lived in this same house, but with many modifications, ever since. Three other sons were born to them, Thomas Monroe Poteet now of Colorado Springs, Colorado; William Peter Poteet of Albuquerque; and Jonathan Daniel Hook Poteet now living on the island nation of Grenada. Horace began his career working as an engineer at Sandia Labs in 1952. He retired from the same company after 50 of service on January 14, 2001 - having held one of the longest continuous careers in Sandia history. During his career there, he was involved in many projects ranging from radar work to investigating the "Taos Hum", and from doing "black hat" security studies on coded switches in nuclear weapons to participating in US/Soviet Joint Verification Experiments. The variety and novelty of the work he performed were among the many reasons he stayed at Sandia for those five decades. Since his formal retirement in 2001, Horace has remained with Sandia Labs on special contracts for various projects on a part time basis. For many years - since his days as a Boy Scout Leader Horace has been an avid hiker and spent many, many hours hiking in the southwest and Sandia Mountains. Horace was deeply interested in New Mexico, and known for his ready knowledge of bird life, plant life, and geography in the area. He was a long term Albuquerque Symphony Orchestra devotee holding season tickets and giving his sons the gift of classical music appreciation. He was an active hands-on Dad, participating in Boy Scouting trips, family projects, and activities for all his sons. He and Joy also traveled extensively with their sons while they were at home. Horace was a devoted family man who also left a life time of service to the nation in the fields of science and engineering. He is survived by his wife Joy and his four sons. Other survivors include William Peter's wife, Bonnie Dee and two sons, Gordon Erick and Arlie Dee; and Jonathan's wife Clare and their son Caleb. Gordon Erick and his wife Michelle Poteet of San Antonio, Texas are the parents of the two great-grandsons, Erick and Russell Poteet. Grandson Arlie Dee Poteet resides in Albuquerque. Horace is also survived by his brother William Poteet and wife Clara of San Angelo, Texas, and his sister Ann and husband Leonard Radde of Cleburne, Texas. "A Great Man". Please share your condolences, sympathies and memories with the family at: www.danielsfuneral.com. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 21, 2011 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm with services beginning at 4:00pm at Daniels Family Funeral Service Carlisle Chapel. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting contributions be made to organizations that support the flora and fauna of New Mexico. Horace's care entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Service 3113 Carlisle Blvd, NE Albuquerque, NM 87110
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