Often we run into a member of Farmers EC who personifies what an electric cooperative is all about: our four core values of accountability, integrity, innovation and commitment to community. Marsha Garmon Potts is one of those special people. Marsha’s long history with Farmers
EC begins with her parents, who were members of the co-op when she was born in Miller Grove. When Marsha’s parents were married in 1948, they went seven months with no electricity
in their home. “My grandfather helped bring the lines to Miller Grove,” Marsha says. “See in those days, everyone in the community helped build the lines that served their town and farms.” Because Marsha grew up as a member of Farmers EC, she often attended annual meetings with her family and she was one of the first Youth Tour finalists in 1967; she did not win the trip to Washington, D.C., but she did win a transistor radio. Marsha graduated from Miller Grove
High School, attended East Texas State University at Commerce (now Texas A&M University–Commerce), got married and moved to South Texas where she had three children—two sons and a daughter. In 1988, as a single mother raising three teenagers, Marsha moved back to Miller Grove to be closer to her family. That was also the year she
joined the staff at Farmers EC as a meter reader. Marsha soon impressed the management
staff at Farmers EC and began earning promotions, advancing from operation/ engineering assistant to accounting clerk, to customer service representative and finally, to her current position as customer service manager. She also serves as Farmers EC’s master chef at
the annual Hopkins County Stew Festival each September. Marsha has seen many changes at Farmers EC, including the co-op’s growth from around 10,000 meters when she started to almost 50,000 today. In January 1999, shortly after her second grandchild was born, Marsha was diagnosed with breast cancer. First she called a family meeting with her children, and then
she began an aggressive fight against the disease. After receiving five rounds of chemotherapy,
she underwent a mastectomy, followed by four more rounds of chemotherapy and 37 radiation treatments. Marsha is a fighter, and after all of those treatments was cancer-free. However, the disease returned in 2008 in the form of throat cancer. Today, Marsha is still fighting this horrible
disease, but she is a strong, determined woman. Everyone at Farmers EC hopes and prays she will soon be cancer-free, this time for good. Marsha credits her five grandkids for keeping her going. Wesley, Lainey Beth, Libby Ann, Natalie and Will, who range in age from 7 to 15. Luckily,
they all live close by and give her moral support. Marsha is a vital member of the Farmers EC team as well as a hero to anyone fighting cancer. With her radiant smile and contagious laugh she gives hope and inspires others.