Obituary of Ethel M Combs
On Friday, October 29, 2021 Ethel Mae Combs passed peacefully in her sleep. She was 90 years old.
Ethel was born on March 25,1931 to Charles Lawton Waddell and Dora Mickey of Mist, Oregon. She grew up on a farm with 2 older brothers and a younger sister.
As a young woman she moved to McMinnville, Oregon where she met Norman Combs. They got married in 1955 and raised 2 children: a son Brian, and a daughter Linda. She worked at and helped Norman run and operate Combs Market in McMinnville until it closed in 1987
She was a devoted wife and mother and supported her children in all their extracurricular activities. She bowled for years at Walnut City Lanes and traveled with her teams to tournaments all over the United States. She also enjoyed rockhounding with the family on vacations, traveling, cooking/baking, and sewing.
After Combs Food Center closed in McMinnville, Ethel and Norman moved to Aurora, Oregon where they opened and ran the General Store. Ethel became involved with the Old Aurora Colony Museum and volunteered regularly. She joined the quilting group there and became a master quilter over the next several years, winning one of the annual quilt shows. She was very proud of her craft and if you ever went to visit her you could see them on display in her home. She was very passionate and willing to share with anyone that had the slightest bit of interest.
Ethel was preceded in death by her siblings Ralph, Richard and Margaret, and her husband Norman. She is survived by her son, Brian of Santa FE, NM and Linda (Dylan) her daughter of Beaverton, OR.
Currently, there is no set date for a memorial service. Please check the Crown Memorial website for Ethel’s memorial page and further information.
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