Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Potter continues community service efforts

Paul Edward Potter, 71, has been a hairstylist for this area since 1962, and still works the morning shift at "Hair It Is" as an assistant to his son, Tommy Potter, the proprietor of the business.

Although ambitious to win awards and help advance his profession, the older Potter has always put the less fortunate first.

The younger Potter said, "We are still carrying on his tradition to cut hair free for those who are sick. For decades, my dad cut hair in the hospital and refused payment from those who were ill. Plus, we give the first haircut for free to the little babies and the last haircut for free after someone dies."

In addition to taking care of those who can not help themselves, Paul Potter reflected this past week on what motivated him through all of his years of service.

Potter said, "I liked being part of the advances in the hair business and helping people when I could."

He won the Arkansas State Championship for ladies haircut and style in 1979. He also helped develop the ingredients for ZOTOS beauty products. He was one of the first to become a Sebring stylist in this area, a technique designed to cut men's hair with scissors while wet.

In addition, Potter finished third place in the men's division for hairstylists at Little Rock's Convention Center in 1980.

Paul Potter was originally from the Witt Springs, Arkansas area, specifically a small town called "Welcome," in the mountains above Russellville.

He is the son of the late Emery Spear Potter and Wimberly Ray Potter. The family fell on hard times and lost their farm when Paul was six-years-old. Paul was the youngest of six children. His mother passed away that year, while the family was still in Arkansas. His father moved them to Bakersfield, Calif. to start a new life.

Paul was raised by his siblings, and was allowed to take a job as a golf caddy in the afternoons instead of attending school a full day.

Potter worked for Paul Hahn, a trick golfer, and was the first person to ever do the William Tell golf shot.

Tommy Potter, his son, said, "Dad told me he held a tee in his mouth while lying down on the ground and the guy put a golf ball on it and started swinging. The skills of Paul Hahn were known all over the nation."

The elder Potter used his own golf skills later in life in Gurdon. He was the first one to ever win the Red Martin Country Club Cup in 1963. He did it again 20 years later.

In addition to caddy work, the older Potter grew up playing cards and pool to survive. Then he broke away from all of that and joined the Navy, serving in the Korean conflict as a Boson Mate. He maneuvered the people from boat to boat.

When Paul Potter got out of the Navy, he went to the Police Academy on the GI Bill, returning to Russellville, to work.

"Dad gave the mayor's son a ticket and refused to drop it," Tommy Potter added. "He left there to help build the Main Street bridge over the Arkansas River in Little Rock. He got that job because of his Navy skills."

Then he went to the Little Rock Barber College, before moving to Gurdon in 1962. When the elder Potter came to Gurdon, he went to work at the Tom Jones Barber Shop, now the drive-through to Thomerson's Drug.

Wanting his own business, Paul Potter opened a shop next to the Hoo Hoo Theater on the other side of Thomerson Drug, where he cut hair for 25 years. He became active in the VFW and was a past commander.

The Gurdon economy fell on hard times in the 1980s and relocation seemed like the only thing Potter could do to survive. He moved his operations to the 46 and 44 Truck Stops, on the interstate near Prescott, to get the traffic to continue his barbering endeavors.

Finally, he moved to the downtown Prescott area, across from Sonic. His Prescott area hair cutting days consisted of about 15 more years.

During that time, Potter also made cedar chests to help make ends meet. Then in 2003, he came back to Gurdon to go into business with his son, Tommy.

The younger Potter, 44, has been cutting hair for 24 years. The father and son team are on Front Street here.

Paul Potter has been married to Anna June (Arnold) Potter (a Gurdon native) since November of 1963. Her parents were Guy and Estelle Arnold. Guy Arnold was the night watchman for Gurdon, before the position became City Marshal. June was working at the soda fountain in the drug store back then when the romance began.

Paul and June have two other sons, Rex, 40, who is a Cabot fireman but also cut hair for a number of years, and Ray, 36, who is a technology teacher at the Bryant High School.

Paul and June attend the Gurdon First Baptist Church.

Besides being a Gurdon barber, Potter bought a cattle farm on Sticky Road back in 1964. He leased other land as the herd grew and grew vegetables on a couple of acres of his own property.

Tommy Potter said, "Mom got sick in 1973 with Lupus and dad could not work for three months. The medical bills were so high, we nearly lost everything because of being underinsured."

The younger Potter said Gurdon collected money to help the family. He remembers a check for $2,000 that really made a difference.

"This probably made our whole family even more determined to give back to this community," Tommy Potter said. "We realize how devastating it can be when someone gets sick."