Kenneth Wayne Poteete

Kenneth Wayne Poteete, a visionary leader, mentor, man of integrity and faith, civic servant, and humanitarian, passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at age 86, surrounded by friends and family. His life was defined by service, compassion, and an extraordinary commitment to improving the lives of others. His influence on Georgetown, Williamson County, and healthcare throughout Texas will continue for generations.

Ken was born in Webbers Falls, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, to Troy Eugene Poteete and Lillie Mayo Keathley Poteete. He grew up there with his parents and two brothers. His parents owned the local grocery store, remembered as the Poteete family grocery store. More than a place to shop, it was a gathering place where neighbors connected and young people received encouragement. The whole family helped run the business, learning responsibility, hard work, and the importance of serving others. His mother later served as Webbers Falls Postmaster.

At seventeen, Ken was selected from approximately 300 applicants to become “King for a Week” at the Oklahoma State Fair. He spent seven days and nights in a penthouse atop a 35-foot pole, wearing a crown and ermine robe. His duties included newspaper, radio, and television interviews, entertaining guests, and keeping up with schoolwork. He was paid for his royal assignment. It was an unforgettable adventure for the young man who simply wanted to attend the fair.

After graduating from Webbers Falls High School in 1958, Ken attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, earning individual honors in cattle judging. There he met Jo Susan Fortney, known as Susan. His frequent visits to her family's cattle farm prompted her father to ask jokingly whether Ken was coming to see his cattle or Susan. Ken was definitely coming to see Susan.

They continued their education at Oklahoma State University, where Ken earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962. They married on July 6, 1963, at Welch Christian Church in Welch, Oklahoma, beginning a lifetime of shared adventures and service.

Ken began his career with the United States Department of Agriculture as a Marketing Specialist, moving with Susan to California. He worked with cattlemen, prepared agricultural reports, and delivered weekly radio broadcasts. During the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the United States Army rather than waiting to be drafted. He served at Ireland Army Hospital at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and later in South Vietnam as Assistant Operations Officer with the 70th Medical Battalion. He was promoted to Commanding Officer of the 1st Medical Company and completed his service as a Captain in the Army Medical Service Corps.

After his discharge, his commanding officer encouraged him to pursue healthcare administration. Ken enrolled at Trinity University in San Antonio, earning a Master of Science in Hospital Administration in August 1971. He completed his residency at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

In September 1972, Ken and Susan moved to Georgetown, Texas. Recruited through the Texas Hospital Association, Ken became Administrator of Georgetown Hospital on University Avenue, working with Dr. Hal Gaddy Jr. and Dr. Douglas Benold. He quickly recognized that the growing community needed expanded healthcare services and began developing a vision for the future.

In 1973, he helped establish the Georgetown Hospital Authority and later created Georgetown Healthcare System, a nonprofit hospital corporation. With donated land along Scenic Drive and funding secured through the Farmers Home Administration, construction began on a 66-bed hospital. Georgetown Hospital opened at 2000 Scenic Drive in 1979, providing acute care and a 24-hour emergency department.

Ken's vision grew alongside Georgetown. He led a $7.56 million expansion and renovation completed in 1993, followed by a $9.5 million project initiated in 1996. Improvements brought advanced services and technology, including mammography, CT scanning, cardiac catheterization and rehabilitation, MRI, laser surgery, and cancer treatment. He recruited physicians in numerous specialties and helped grow the medical staff to approximately 350 members. He also developed a three-story medical office building and parking garage to support the expanding hospital.

Ken believed the future of healthcare depended on developing new professionals. He supported nursing education through a Licensed Vocational Nursing program and a partnership with Austin Community College. He co-founded Georgetown Independent School District's Health Science Technology program, giving high school students clinical experience in hospital departments and physician offices. Pharmacy technician certification later offered students another path to employment and college education.

In 2006, under Ken's leadership, Georgetown Healthcare System partnered with St. David's Healthcare Partnership, transferring hospital ownership while retaining an equity interest in the new partnership. Ken concluded his service as Georgetown Hospital's first and only administrator and remained President and CEO of Georgetown Healthcare System until retiring in 2009. He became President Emeritus, and the organization subsequently became Georgetown Health Foundation. Since 2006, the Foundation has distributed more than $40 million in grants to local nonprofits improving community health. This remains one of Ken's enduring legacies.

His commitment extended beyond hospital walls. Ken helped establish Williamson County Emergency Medical Services, which began operating January 1, 1975, creating a dedicated countywide emergency response system. Georgetown Hospital provided space for ambulances and emergency medical personnel.

Ken's leadership also made a statewide impact. He served as Chairman of the Texas Hospital Association Board of Trustees in 1987–1988 and held numerous other leadership positions. He was Founding Board Chair of the Texas Hospital Association Insurance Exchange, serving as its president for 22 years before becoming Active President Emeritus in 2011. The exchange helped small and rural hospitals obtain professional liability insurance. In 1998, he received the prestigious Earl M. Collier Award for Distinguished Health Care Administration, the highest honor bestowed by the Texas Hospital Association.

Ken's community service was equally significant. He helped establish The Georgetown Project and Georgetown Informative and Volunteer Exchange, bringing local organizations together to address community needs, particularly those affecting children and young people. On September 11, 2001, he organized a meeting for more than twenty local agencies the following morning to discuss emergency preparedness and community coordination.

He served the Rotary Club of Georgetown, Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Georgetown Industrial Foundation, Southwestern University Board of Visitors, and numerous other organizations. In 1998, he was named Georgetown's Citizen of the Year for his contributions to community healthcare.

Those who worked with Ken remember his open-door policy, appreciation for employees, and belief that the hospital was a family. He celebrated service at awards dinners and practiced “management by walking around,” listening to staff.

Ken encouraged volunteerism and compassionate care. He helped establish the Georgetown Hospital Auxiliary, known as the “Pink Ladies,” and supported its development into the Georgetown Healthcare System Volunteer Program. He helped organize a volunteer chaplaincy program that eventually provided 24-hour on-call support for patients, families, and employees. The volunteers later established the Kenneth W. Poteete Scholarship Program for Georgetown individuals pursuing healthcare careers.

Outside work, Ken and Susan enjoyed fishing, tending their Addison Ridge Vineyard, growing vegetables, caring for beehives, and reading Texas history. Their 125 grapevines produced wine shared at annual Christmas gatherings for directors, board members, physicians, employees, and friends, a cherished four-evening tradition each December.

Ken never sought personal recognition. He consistently acknowledged those who worked alongside him and looked toward the next opportunity to help someone. He believed healthcare must always be about people, not the convenience of providers. He considered serving others through healthcare his personal ministry.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Troy Eugene and Lillie Mayo Keathley Poteete; his brother, Edward Luther Poteete, and sister-in-law, Erma Lois Poteete; and nephews Troy Wayne Poteete and Tim Poteete.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Susan Poteete of Georgetown; his brother, Herb Poteete, and wife, LaDema, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma; nephews Shannon J. Poteete and Sherard B. Poteete; cousins Michele Marshall, Taron Snyder, Skye Been, Marshall Been, Alex Snyder, Fred and Ruth Poteete, Nancy Poteete, Marthanda Beckworth, Diane Johnston and David Johnston, Roy and Kim Barnes; and godchild Suzy Strey Parsons and her family.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Concho Hearts Hospice for the compassion and exceptional care provided to Ken during the past three years, especially during his final days.

Proverbs 18:16 reminds us, “A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Ken's gifts opened doors, created opportunities, and brought people together. He used them not for himself, but to serve others, strengthen his community, and help others discover their own gifts. Georgetown and the surrounding communities are better because Ken believed in their potential and devoted his life to helping them flourish. Though he will be deeply missed, his influence will live on through the institutions he helped build, the people he encouraged, and the countless lives touched by his generosity.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on November 19, 2026 at 10:00 am at San Gabriel Presbyterian Church in Georgetown, TX. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to either of the organizations closest to Ken's heart; The Caring Place in Georgetown or The Georgetown Project.