BLLY RAY COMBS SR.
Sept. 10, 1942-July 18, 2011
Billy Ray Combs Sr., 68, went home to be with the Lord Monday, July 18, 2011, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by his immediate family at Kitty Askins Hospice Center.
Billy Ray was born in Wayne County Sept. 10, 1942, to the late O'Neal Combs and the late Lonie Radford Worrell. He was married to Sarah Frances Futrell Combs.
Billy Ray took great pleasure in fishing and the solitude of being outdoors. Prior to knee replacement surgery several years ago, he enjoyed an occasional round of golf.
He retired from Waukesha Electric Systems in August 2005.
He will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather, and a dear friend to so many.
Billy Ray and Frances attended services at both United in Christ Church and Liberty Pentecostal Holiness Church in Goldsboro on a regular basis.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 21, 2011, in the chapel of Seymour Funeral Home at 6:30 p.m., with the Rev. Ira Williford officiating. Interment will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Wayne Memorial Park Cemetery, 2925 S. U.S. 117.
Billy Ray is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Sarah Frances Futrell Combs of Goldsboro; his four children, son, Billy Ray Combs Jr. and wife, Robin, of Bear, Del., daughter, Linda Diane Bradley and husband, Joe, of Mount Olive, son, Lee O'Neal "Neal" Combs and wife, Cindy, of Midlothian, Va., daughter, Rebecca Sue "Susie" Stallings and fiancé, Andy LeBlanc, of Pikeville; 10 grandchildren, Billy Combs III and fiancée, Lainie Monk, of Chesapeake, Va., Marine Sgt. Justin Combs and wife, Jamie, of Cherry Point, Army Staff Sgt. Jesse Hinnant of Valparaiso, Fla., Derek Combs and fiancée, Pebbles, of Wilmington, N.C., Dustin Stallings of Pikeville, Joshua and Lia Combs of Bear, Del., Kendyl and Brad Combs of Midlothian, Va., and Sara Tyndall of Mount Olive.
Billy Ray is also survived by his sister, Shirley Head and husband, Milton, of Goldsboro, and his brother, William A. "Bud" Combs and his wife, Betty Lou, of Goldsboro.
In addition to his mother and father, Billy Ray was preceded in death by his sister, Linda Combs; his maternal grandparents, Arthur and Etta Radford of Goldsboro; and his paternal grandfather, William Combs of Goldsboro.
The family would like to express a special thanks to the staff of Southeastern Medical Oncology Center for the personal care shown to their father during his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer and to the staff of 3HC Hospice and Kitty Askins Hospice Center for the care and personal attention shown to their father during his last few days.
In lieu of flowers, Billy Ray had requested that donations be made to Southeastern Medical Oncology Center to support further research into the causes of and potential cures for pancreatic cancer. Or contributions can be made to Kitty Askins Hospice Center to continue its family comfort programs.
The family will receive friends Thursday following the service at Seymour Funeral Home, and other times at the Combs family home at 1819 W. New Hope Road, Goldsboro.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on July 20, 2011 1:48 PM