John Potosnak

John Paul Potosnak, 85, of Abilene passed away on July 2, 2024. Visitation will be 4-7pm Sunday, July 7, 2024 at Hamil Family Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 am Monday July 8, 2024 at Hamil Family Funeral Home with Burtis Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park. Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road.

John was born in Clifton, NJ to John and Elizabeth on April 11, 1939. He went to Clifton High School and completed his GED while stationed in the Mediterranean Sea after enlisting in the Navy. He served in the Navy for 6 years and spent many of those years stationed on the Navy ships across the world. He met his wife, Vaile, soon after and they married in June of 1964 in Fair Lawn, NJ. After completing his service, John became a police officer and continued his education at William Paterson College. He worked in the Passaic County Jail and then went on to serve as a Wayne Township police officer for 30 years. John was a member of the Police Honor Legion for exceptional bravery in the line of duty. A hard-working man, John also operated a trucking company while in the service. John loved the outdoors and spent most of his time traveling the country with his wife and son, Joseph, and passed on that love of travel to the rest of his family. After moving to Texas in 1991, John embraced the cowboy spirit and continued his love of the outdoors by raising his herd of longhorn cattle and horses. He could frequently be seen riding his tractor and enjoyed teaching his grandchildren all about farming, caring for animals, and his love of country music. In his later years he continued to travel and camp all across Texas with his family by his side. 

 John was preceded in death by his 3 brothers and sister. 

John is survived by his wife Vaile, son Joseph and wife Dawn Potosnak of Abilene, grandson Michael Potosnak of Abilene, and his granddaughter Leeza and her husband Malcolm Stein and his 2 great-grandsons Rhys and Rhett Stein. 

Pallbearers will be Michael Potosnak, Russ Lefrancois, Jaime Rocha, and John Lowery.