Obituary: Combes, Lucille Evelyn
Age 92
She was born in Malta, Montana March 15, 1921 to John and May Violet Noordam.
She knew her Lord, knowing where she would spend eternity, ready to join her husband, Gilbert.
Growing up was not an easy life, as education was not a priority.
Her growing up years were difficult, starting as young as three, when her family of 12 lived in a tent in the winter months while their father worked in a mine in Neihart, later moving to Landusky.
At age six, she and her sister had the task of tending sheep on a ranch.
Later, she was able to attend school off and on.
When she was 12 and her sister 16 they had to cook for ranch hands.
Her next adventure was being head cook and bottle washer in a miners boarding house, where she again lived in a tent during the winter months.
As an eighteen year old, she met the love of her life, Gilbert Combes, when a friend, Norman Larum told them, since they wanted to get married, he would buy their marriage license and drove them to Malta on January 19, 1939; a marriage that lasted 61 years.
Lucille always had a desire to help others and increase her knowledge.
In doing so, she always took an interest in the education of those around her, and was ready at any time to help them.
When her sister passed away in the late ‘40s, she was there to help the large family cope with needs, always making sure meals were prepared.
She and Gilbert loved to travel, visit family, camp, fish, and spend many winters in Arizona.
She was preceded in death by her husband Gilbert, son-in-law Roger Sparks, nine siblings Violet, Johnny, Ruby, Harry, Clarence, Jess, Minnie, Bennie, and Catherine.
Also preceding her were two granddaughters - Karie and Melanie Grove, and two great-grandchildren - Malia and Clarissa Grove.
Survivors are her children - Evelyn Dunwell (Jim), Ada Sparks, Doug Combes (Carol), Dorothy Grove (Dave); grandchildren - Ken, Mike (Stephanie) and Steven Dunwell, Bill (Kelly), Gary (Cindy), Larry Sparks, Angela Combes, Tina Combes-George (Tom), Bryan (Sasha), Kevin (Kelly), Daniel (Mindy), Jonathan (Abi) Grove, Rhonda Grove-Turner, 35 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.
A memorial service will be held this summer to place Lucille and Gilbert’s ashes in the area of the Noordam and Combes Homesteads near Fort Peck.