Obituary of Orr Y. Potebnya

Prior to the Service Lt. Colonel Orr Y. Potebnya, Jr. USAF (Retired) Orr lived a life of honor and integrity. Even though much of the past 27 years had been a daily struggle with a myriad of heart and serious health ailments, he chose, above all, to live life and love. He was a man of impeccable reputation whose dependability and sense of fundamental fairness inspired greatness in others. He was born on 30 December 1945 to Orr and Stephanie Potebnya in Springfield, Massachusetts, and passed away 12 March 2010 at his home in Olympia, Washington. His parents were a career military couple whose duty assignments required Orr to live part of his early childhood in the care of his loving grandparents, whom he adored. He was a graduate of the Frankfurt-American High School as well as the University of Washington and Webster College, where he earned both bachelors and masters degrees. He was multi-lingual, including English, Russian, German, and Mandarin Chinese. Orr entered the U.S. Air Force in the University of Washington’s ROTC program in the mid-late 1960’s. Thereafter, he engaged in pilot training, but opted to use his gifts serving as a career intelligence officer. After he served his country in Vietnam, he continued his remarkably distinguished career that included counter-intelligence work in Potsdam, Germany during the cold war, contributions to the evolution of computers in San Antonio, Texas during the late 1970’s, Assistant Professor of Russian at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during the early 1980’s, and Chief of the Soviet Affairs Publications Division through the balance of his Air Force career in Washington D.C.. After retirement, Orr returned to the state he loved, Washington, with his family, full of pride for having been given so many opportunities to serve the country he loved. He treasured his near 40-year membership in the 356 Registry, and valued the 356 Group NW car club community and his friends beyond words. Orr believed that everything in his life was a gift; thereby, it was his responsibility to use his education and extensive life experience in order to make other people’s lives better. To that end, he had an open heart for all who encountered him and would offer assistance to anyone and everyone at anytime with no regard for himself. His giving heart could only be matched by his passion and love for his family, which was always his first priority. Orr spent the last years of his life lovingly caring for his elderly father, who passed away only a few months ago. He leaves behind a grief-stricken family, including his wife of 41 years, Natalia Potebnya, daughter, Nicole Potebnya, son-in-law, Neil Meyer, son, Nathanael Potebnya, future daughter-in-law Kate Knable, and beloved grandson, William Potebnya-Meyer. Orr was an incredible writer who, over the years, spent many hours composing beautiful and heartfelt words in memoriam of others that brought levity to the pain of those losses. Nothing written here can come close, as hard as we try, to the way Orr was able to express himself in written word, so suffice to say, “Orr, our beloved fearless leader, rest in peace knowing you were truly a one-of-a-kind man who was loved deeper than you could ever know and, of course, drive 356’s forever!”