Edith Geyler Potter was born April 24, 1920, in Berlin, Germany and passed away July 17, 1999, in Claremont, California. She received her B.A. (1956) and M.A. in German (1959), along with a Ph.D. in German Literature and Germanic Languages (1965) from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she also served as a teaching assistant and associate from 1956 to 1963. Potter was a faculty member at Sonoma State College (1965-1967) and at the NDEA-Institute in Munich, Germany (1966) before moving to Scripps College, where she taught German from 1967 until her retirement in 1990. Potter specialized in German literature after 1880, the age of Goethe, and Faust themes in European literature.

After the end of World War II, Potter worked as a secretary in the United States Public Relations Office in Berlin. She worked under American soldier Merle A. Potter, whom she also assisted in managing the Schornsteinfeger Club (Chimney Sweep Club), a goodwill organization that provided aid packages for German citizens and promoted German-American relations. Edith accompanied Merle Potter back to the United States where they married in 1949.

Potter was dedicated to fostering positive German-American relations and was involved with the Federation of German-American Clubs, Los Angeles/Berlin Sister Committee, and Youth Bridge program. To honor her for these endeavors she received the Verdienstkreutz (Federal Service Cross) in 1997 for her distinguished service to her home country.