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Theodore's birth date and death date come from the memorial card distributed at his wake. The Social Security Death Index incorrectly lists a birth date of January 12, 1905. Theodore (often called "Ted Senior" since his son was known as "Ted Junior") attended Mt. St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg as well as the Maryland Institute College of Art. He spent his entire professional career at Potthast Brothers. He began by doing menial tasks, such as sweeping sawdust. He rose to plant manager, and eventually became president of the company (1971 - 1975). His son, Ted Junior, recalled that he always wanted to be a cabinetmaker. According to his obituary (full text below), Ted Senior was known as a man gifted with charm and a dry wit. He would arrive at his desk at 5:30 am and work until 6 pm. It was Ted Senior who came to the difficult decision to close Potthast Brothers in 1975. His first obituary appeared in The Baltimore Sun, October 16, 1998: "Potthast Sr., Theodore J. On October 14, 1998, Theodore J. Potthast, beloved husband of Marie Corcoran Potthast, devoted father of Theodore J. Potthast, Jr. and his wife Constance Fava Potthast and the late John A. Potthast, brother of Elizabeth Potthast, Teresa Hirsch and the late Marie Griffin and William A. Potthast. Grandfather of Catherine Potthast, John Potthast and his wife Ann, Mark Potthast and his wife Lisa, and Marialena Potthast Walsh and her husband Brian. Great grandfather of Andrew and Benjamin Potthast. He is also survived by nephews, great-nephews and great-nieces. "The family will receive friends at the Sterling Ashton Funeral Home, Inc., 736 Edmondson Avenue, Catonsville (1/2 mile west of Beltway Exit 14), on Thursday and Friday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Pius X Church, 6428 York Rd. on Saturday at 10 A.M. Interment in New Cathedral Cemetery." His second obituary appeared in The Baltimore Sun, October 19, 1998: "Theodore J. Potthast Sr., the last furniture maker from the famed Baltimore family whose handmade reproductions were a local tradition for more than 80 years, died Wednesday of heart failure at his Rodgers Forge home. He was 93. Mr. Potthast began his career as a young apprentice with Potthast Brothers Inc., the venerable company founded in 1892 by his father, John Potthast, and his two uncles, William and Vincent. Born in Baltimore, Mr. Potthast attended boarding school at Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg and earned a certificate from the Maryland Institute, College of Art. "He rose from being sawdust sweeper and office boy as a child to plant manager and finally president of the company, which had 80 full-time cabinetmakers. 'He always wanted to be a cabinetmaker,' said his son, Theodore J. Potthast, Jr. of Riderwood. "Known as a man gifted with charm and a dry wit, Mr. Potthast would arrive at his desk at 5:30 A.M. and work until 6 P.M. "Mr. Potthast had been a member of Council No. 205 of the Knights of Columbus for 75 years and had been a director and member of the German Society of Maryland. For 40 years, he was a communicant of St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, where a Mass of Christian burial was offered Saturday. "In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 68 years, the former Marie Corcoran; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren."
Georg
Potthast
