Bertha Marie Potts

Bertha

Bertha “Bert” Marie (Dain) Potts, beloved minister, community leader, wife, mother, and grandmother, was born on August 7, 1948, in Guymon, Oklahoma, the only child of Curtis Dain and Betty (Costner) Dain.

When Bert’s family settled in Woodward, Oklahoma, Bert’s lifelong devotion to service, music, and faith first took root. As a young teenager, she worked alongside her parents in their spudnut shop, tending to customers with the warmth and ease that would later define her ministry. Bert became deeply involved in school and church life and was active in Subdebs, Rainbows, choirs, camps, and Methodist youth groups. A gifted musician, Bert played both flute and piano, performing with the high school band. As a vocalist, Bert sang with a folk group and with the All-American Choir and Orchestra, and her voice was also a familiar presence during Christmastime radio broadcasts, at weddings, worship services, and Eastern Star events.

While attending Woodward High School, she met the love of her life, Michael “Mickey” Potts. The two continued dating as Bert attended Oklahoma City University, where she studied music and was a proud member of Alpha Chi Omega. Bert also supported Mickey’s youth ministry at Wesley United Methodist Church, assisting with the children’s choir and learning firsthand the pastoral work that would one day become her own calling. While at OCU, Bert switched her major to religion during her sophomore year, envisioning a future as a minister’s wife—a vision that would soon expand in ways she did not yet imagine.

Bert and Mickey married in 1968 and moved to North Carolina, where Mickey attended Duke Divinity School and Bert studied at Duke’s School of Religion. After Mickey’s ordination, the couple relocated to Kansas where Bert served as Director of Christian Education at First United Methodist Church in Lawrence while Mickey trained as a chaplain at Topeka State Hospital. Though she once imagined a life supporting ministry from the sidelines, Bert soon felt a clear and undeniable call not only to preach but also to lead. At a time when women were rarely appointed as pastors, Bert accepted a student appointment serving a small circuit outside Topeka, Hoyt, and Mayetta. Shortly after beginning this work, Bert learned she was expecting. With the support of her congregations, she continued her ministry while welcoming her son, Michael, who was born the day after Christmas in 1977.

Encouraged by her conference leaders, Bert pursued a Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Seminary. She was ordained a deacon in the Kansas East Conference and served several rural congregations before returning to Oklahoma with her family in the early 1980s. Though the Oklahoma Conference was slow to appoint women to pastoral leadership, Bert found an invaluable champion in the Rev. Harold Leverage, who advocated for her appointment as associate pastor at May Avenue United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. Even without opportunities to preach from the pulpit, Bert changed hearts and minds through her daily ministry, shaping a path forward for women in the denomination.

After her ordination as an elder in 1983, Bert was appointed to Church of the Servant, where she spent six years as Minister of Community Life. There she served a thriving congregation under the leadership of Rev. Norman Neaves and forged lifelong friendships, including one with the Rev. Robert Gorrell. Bert later served four years as Senior Minister at Trinity United Methodist Church in Purcell while receiving her doctorate at Saint Paul School of Theology. She then served as Senior Minister at Sunnylane United Methodist Church in Del City, where her tenure coincided with profound challenges, including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Bert responded with steadfast compassion, ministering to first responders, families, and all those affected, while mentoring an entire generation of clergy, both men and women alike.

From 1997-2005, Bert served as Senior Pastor at Quail Springs United Methodist Church as well as on the Board of Directors for Epworth Villa. She later joined the Bishop’s Cabinet as District Superintendent of the Stillwater District. In 2014, Bert retired from active ministry, following her final appointment as Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Edmond.

Even after retirement, Bert was frequently requested to officiate weddings, funerals, and other services. She also joyfully redirected her energy toward writing, gardening, scrapbooking, and lovingly “putting Mickey to work” alongside her. She treasured time with her family, especially her granddaughter Ripley, whose arrival in 2007 brought her immeasurable joy. In 2022, Bert and Mickey moved to Epworth Villa, where Bert remained active until a sudden decline in health. She was called home on November 20, 2025.

Bert leaves behind a legacy of courage, conviction, and boundless compassion. Across more than four decades of ministry, she shaped congregations, mentored new generations of clergy, expanded the path for women in church leadership, and touched countless lives through her preaching, presence, and unwavering faith. She is survived by her devoted husband of 55 years, Mickey; her only son Michael and his wife Sara; her cherished granddaughter Ripley; her brother-in-law Jay and his wife Chesley; and her nephew Harris and great-nephew Holden.

She will be eternally missed and forever remembered.

A Celebration of Life will be held on December 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Quail Springs United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. A reception will follow at Epworth Villa. In honor of Bert’s lifelong commitment to service, shelf-stable food donations will also be collected during the memorial service.