Earl Combs

At 89 years old, Earl Combs went to be with his Lord after suffering with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. After a long life of work and discipline, he stated "It's been a party".

Graveside services will be 2:30 p.m. Thursday, December 30, 2010 at Oakwood Cemetery with Ernie Christie officiating. The family will be available to receive friends and guests Wednesday, December 29, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd.

Officially, Earl was born January 25, 1921 to "Bee" Van Buren Combs and Lilly Lyda White (later to become Lyda DeMaria) in their home in McLennan County (now called Lacy Lakeview). According to his mother, he was born in December of 1920 but the county records showed it a month later.

Because of the great depression and parents divorce he went to the State Home on 19th street, at the age of 10, until his graduation from Waco High School in 1938. In 1938, he met Eloise Warrick and they married October 6, 1941 after he was deployed to Louisiana.

He served as a First Sergeant in the Texas 36th Division while deployed in North Africa and the invasion of Italy at Scierno. While in Italy, he was wounded in the head and shoulders from a mortar attack. He returned to Waco in 1945 with an honorable Discharge.

Earl began work at the Austin Power and Light Co. in August of 1945 as a Lineman's helper. After a 38 year career as a Lineman, Foreman and then General Foreman, he retired in 1983.

Moving back to Waco in 1983, he and Eloise traveled the United States and parts of Canada until moving to the country in 2001. Earl was a Mason for over 60 years and was a member of Lake Shore Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise Combs, in 2004, they were married for 63 years; his father, Van Buren Combs, his mother, Lyda DeMaria; step-father, Nick DeMaria; sister, Dorothy Summey and husband, Leslie.

Upon his death, he has 3 children; sons, Michael Earl Combs and wife, Pat of Waco, David Nick Combs and wife, Charla of Waco; and daughter Jennifer Walsh from the Houston area. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Cynthia Combs Petty and husband, Brent, Michael Edward Combs and wife, Brittany, Jonathan Dean Combs and wife, Ruth, all of the Waco area; plus Patrick Walsh and Stephie Walsh in the Houston area; Christina Combs Vasquez and husband, Justin, Dr. Joshua Combs and wife, Alicia, and Rachel E. Combs all in the Austin area and Barron Moody of Waco; thirteen great grandchildren, Clayton Petty, Travis Petty, Miller Petty, Ariel Combs, Dylan Combs, Gage Combs, Molly Combs, Kailey Combs, Darian Combs, Brianna Combs, Mason Elison, Chase Vasquez and Case Combs.

Honorary pallbearers will be Wallace Gootman, Buddy Pittman, and grandsons; Michael, Jonathan, Dr. Josh and grandson-in-law Brent.

Memorials may be directed to the Library Fund at Lake Shore Church of Christ, 2800 Lake Shore Drive, Waco, Texas 76708.