Ethel Mae Combs 1931 - 2021

On Friday, October 29, 2021, Ethel Mae Combs passed peacefully in her sleep. She was 90 years old.

Ethel was born  March 25, 1931, to Charles Lawton Waddell and Dora Mickey of Mist, Oregon. She grew up on a farm with two 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 two 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 who 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, New Mexico; and Linda (Dylan), her daughter of Beaverton, Oregon.

Please visit https://crowncremationburial.com/tribute/details/19812/Ethel-Combs/obituary.html#tribute-start. Currently, there is no set date for a memorial service but will post a date soon on the Crown Memorial website.