Edward Potter taught school for a time before entering Union College in Schenectady, NY, then transfered to the New York State College for teachers as a member of the class of 1918. After the US entered World War I, Potter enlisted in the Army, and left Albany for officer training school. In August 1917, having completed his training there, he decided to join the flying corps of the Army, and transferred to Ithaca, NY, for ground school training. In October, he was sent to France to undergo basic and advanced flight training.

By early 1918, Potter had finished his training, received his pilot's wings, and been commissioned a First Lieutenant. He was assigned to ferry replacement aircraft within France and between England and France. On August 1, 1918, Potter was ferrying a Dehaviland 4 Plane to Orly Field, near Paris, when his plane crashed.

An officer who witnessed the crash said that, in order to avoid running into a number of men then on the landing field, Potter had executed a dangerous turn--risking himself rather than running into the men on the field--lost control of his plane, and crashed. Potter died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, and was buried in the American cemetery at Suresnes, near Paris. He was awarded a posthumous BS Pro Honoris Causa from the New York State College for Teachers.