Updated 07/23/2012 06:59 AM
Family and co-worker remember Cortland nurse
Friends and family are mourning the loss of a Cortland County woman allegedly killed by her husband. YNN's Erin Clarke spoke with family and co-workers of Janet Pottorff who are remembering her for the kindhearted person she was.
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CORTLAND COUNTY, N.Y. -- "My heart's broke. I don't know what I'm going to do without her," said Janet Pottorff's sister, JoAnn McNeil.
Even with hundreds of miles between them, Janet and JoAnn remained close.
"We used to sit and watch 'House' and 'NCIS,' 'Criminal Minds' and eat popcorn and talk through the whole stupid show," said McNeil.
When the two weren't texting or chatting about television shows, Janet was telling her sister about something else she enjoyed.
"She loved taking care of people. She would always call me and tell me about her job," said McNeil.
The 53-year-old mother of two adult children was an LPN at Cortland Regional Medical Center for 18 years.
"She took care of children sure, but as I said, patients of all ages. She had a wonderful sense of humor. She had a softness to her. She really cared deeply for others," said Cortland Regional Medical Center PR Director, Tom Quinn.
Janet wanted to take those skills to the next level. She was studying to become an RN.
While Janet loved to take care of people here, there was something else she was very well known for doing.
"She loved to quilt. I'm told that there isn't a co-worker that has a baby or a grandchild that doesn't have a blanket that was made by Janet," said Quinn.
It's those memories that the people who loved Janet choose to hold on to, and in her honor, friends at the hospital are hoping to start a scholarship fund for an LPN working toward becoming an RN. That way Janet will never be forgotten.
It was Janet's co-workers who became suspicious about her absence after her husband, Keith Pottorff, 44, called out sick for her on Wednesday and then again on Thursday, which was her day off. It's not clear exactly who alerted police though. Keith Pottorff was arrested after an investigation and has been charged with second degree murder.