BOBBY RAY COMBS, age 81, of Washington CH, passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 6:20 a.m. at the Adena Regional Medical Center.
He was born on February 21, 1935, in Frenchburg, Kentucky, the only child of Ruby Wynn (Robinson) Combs. Bobby spent most of his childhood around his maternal grandparents and worked in the tobacco fields. After high school, he proudly served his country in the US Army during the Korean Conflict as an infantry soldier and rose to the rank of Sergeant. After the war, he spent time in Germany and Japan until he left the service in 1954. He moved to Middletown, Ohio in 1955 and began working for Inland Containers. There he met and married Alpha Mae Rose in 1956. They stayed in the Middletown area until 1960. He took a position with the Mead Corporation in Toledo, Ohio and attended the University of Toledo where he graduated with a degree in Business Management. Bobby transferred to Mead in Washington CH in 1967. He coached numerous sports teams in the Good Hope and Washington CH area, winning championships on a regular basis. He was baptized at the Church of God in Frenchburg, Kentucky and later attended the First Church of the Nazarene in Washington CH. He had also been a member of the Masonic Lodge of Leesburg.
Bobby left Fayette County to work for Stone Manufacturing in Tyler, Texas and Carton Sales in Miami, Florida where he served as a plant supervisor at both locations.
He was rehired by Mead in Washington CH in 1998 and served as plant superintendant until he retired.
Bobby was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Dennis “Denny” Combs in 2001.
Survivors include his wife, Alpha Combs; his children, Gary (Toni) Combs, Karen (Danny) Horney, and Debbie (Jody) Edwards; several grandchildren and several great-grandchildren; special cousin, Sharon (Cordell) Huff along with his retired Mead coffee buddies.
The funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. at the Summers Funeral Home with Pastor Randy Lee officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. A Masonic service will be held at 5:00 followed by the Veteran’s Appreciation Service.
Online condolences may be sent to www.summersfuneralhome.com