LAKE COUNTY — The abrupt death of Kolene Potter last month came as a shock to the community who loved her. A long-time resident of Lake County, she was many things to many people; a great mother, friend, photographer and race car driver.
Kolene”s best friend, Nadine Strauss, said she had a spirit and personality that shined even during hard times. “A couple days before she unexpectedly died, she told me how happy she was. She said ?I just love it here,”” Strauss said of Kolene”s recent move to North Carolina to be with her son.
“At least she was very happy at the end of her life, which was too short. Everyone is really sad and missing her,” Strauss said.
There were three things Kolene loved most, according to her friends?her son Justin, photography and auto racing at Lakeport Speedway, where she competed in her #42 race car in the modified division.
Prior to moving to Lake County almost 20 years ago, Potter worked as a photographer in Southern California, and was very proud that she personally knew the famous drag-racer John Force.
Potter came to Lake County and quickly made hundreds of friends, always putting a smile on people”s faces as she worked as a photographer at Lakeport Speedway, the Record-Bee and in the photography department at Long”s Drugs.
“She cared about everybody, and everyone loved her. She was a very special person. One of the neat things is if you took in a photo to Long”s, she would not just make it bigger, she would adjust it, center it, and make it perfect?that”s the kind of person she was,” Strauss said.
While at Long”s, she befriended co-worker Cary Manning, 28, who was 16 when they met. When Manning was 18, her mother died, and Potter helped fill the void. “I can”t even describe what she meant to me?she helped make me who I am. She took me under her wing and became a mother to me; she signed anything that needed to be signed and was always there. My son called her auntie from the day he could talk,” Manning said.
Potter”s son Justin worked for a Nextel Cup team in North Carolina when his mother moved there three months ago. He had a month off from work, and they were able to spend the majority of time together, often dining out at great Mexican restaurants.
“My whole life my mom, being a single mom, was always there for me. She would play sports with me and she drove me to every single race and drag race up and down the west coast. We were always doing stuff together, we were really good friends?It was pretty awesome to have her out here,” Potter said.
At Thanksgiving, Potter took his mom to a co-worker and good friend”s house. “It was a really big Thanksgiving dinner, everyone, not just family was there. She was running around taking pictures of everyone, it was cool, she loved it,” Potter said.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com.
