Free Will Baptist minister and pastor William Cecil Combs died on November 14, 2003, at his home in Sophia, West Virginia, where he retired after more than fifty years in the ministry.
Cecil Combs was a native of southwest Virginia, the son of Kemper Jackson and Gaye Davis Combs. His father was a farmer, and his mother a homemaker who was active in founding Sunday Schools in the rural area in which they lived. Cecil loved nature and was an avid hunter. He spent countless hours in the woods and farm country learning much about animals, plants, and trees. He was preceded in death by his parents and two of his three sisters: Ferne Combs Hart and Eva Grace Combs. His sister Kate Combs Steele, is currently a resident of South Carolina. He was also preceded in death by his wife Norma in 1990, daughter Sharon Rose in 1953, and two sons, John in 1975, and Mark in 1988.
Cecil married Norma Elizabeth Ball in 1932 in Lebanon, Virginia. They moved to West Virginia in 1934, where their fifteen children were born and where they raised fourteen children to adulthood. The Combs lived until in West Virginia until 1964 when they moved to central Florida with the intention of establishing a Free Will Baptist Church.
During his ministry Bro. Combs pastored churches in Georgia, Florida, and West Virginia. Although an humble man, he emerged as a leader early in his ministry. Bro. Combs helped to lead Free Will Baptists in West Virginia to organize the State Association of Free Will Baptists. A CPA, he was elected Clerk, and served both the WV State Association and the Beckley Conference as Moderator numerous times.
Cecil Combs was a minister during the days when few Free Will Baptist Churches had full-time pastors. A builder by trade, he left a physical legacy as well as a spiritual one. He built hundreds of homes in Raleigh County, WV. In every church he pastored, he used his building skills to construct, remodel, or build additions to the churches, educational units, parsonages and youth camps.
Bro. Combs and his son Billy helped construct the largeVehicle Assembly Building which houses rockets at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. This close proximity to Cocoa Beach brought a burden upon his heart for the town, leading him to establish the Cocoa Free Will Baptist Church, where he pastored for five years. He led in the building of the church facility at the Cocoa Church; youth camps both in West Virginia and Bonifay, Florida; gymnasium and classroom building in Sophia; and additions to the parsonages at Piney Grove Church in Chipley, Florida, and in Sophia. He also led the construction project for the West Virginia Cottage at the Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Greenville, Tennessee during his ministry in the 1950s,
During his years in central Florida, Bro. Combs assisted in organizing Free Will Baptist churches in nearby Vero Beach and Titusville, and organized the Indian River Association, which he served as Moderator. He also served as the moderator of the Florida State Assocation and published the Free Will Baptist State Paper both in Florida and West Virginia.
Bro. Combs was preceded in death by his wife Norma of 58 years. They were blessed with a large family of fourteen children, forty grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Several of their descendants are in ministry. Among them are sons Bob Combs, WV pastor and a former Georgia pastor; Jim Combs, missionary to Brazil; sons-in-law Ed Cook, Kentucky pastor; Jim Puckett, Oklahoma pastor; grandsons Randy Puckett, Home Missionary in Texas; and John Hornsby, chaplain for the H. B. Zachry Company in San Antonio, Texas.
Following Norma's death in 1990, Bro. Combs remarried in 1992. His wife Katherine, the widow of another FWB minister, died in 1996.
The Lord blessed Bro. Combs with a sharp mind and the ability to recite a great body of scripture by heart. He was well known for his Biblical knowledge, especially of eschatology. Although retired after fifty years in the ministry, Bro. Combs continued to serve, conducting a weekly service at Heartland Nursing Home, and filling the pulpit at Sophia in the absence of his pastor. He was extremely active, walking nearly a mile every day until about six months before his death. He often said, "I do my walking and praying at the same time."
Bro. Combs was 91 when he succumbed to cancer. He was buried beside his wife Norma at the Blue Ridge Memorial Cemetery in Beckley, WV. He is remembered by many friends and family members who were blessed by his faithful example of love and dedication to the Lord.
Cecil Combs was a native of southwest Virginia, the son of Kemper Jackson and Gaye Davis Combs. His father was a farmer, and his mother a homemaker who was active in founding Sunday Schools in the rural area in which they lived. Cecil loved nature and was an avid hunter. He spent countless hours in the woods and farm country learning much about animals, plants, and trees. He was preceded in death by his parents and two of his three sisters: Ferne Combs Hart and Eva Grace Combs. His sister Kate Combs Steele, is currently a resident of South Carolina. He was also preceded in death by his wife Norma in 1990, daughter Sharon Rose in 1953, and two sons, John in 1975, and Mark in 1988.
Cecil married Norma Elizabeth Ball in 1932 in Lebanon, Virginia. They moved to West Virginia in 1934, where their fifteen children were born and where they raised fourteen children to adulthood. The Combs lived until in West Virginia until 1964 when they moved to central Florida with the intention of establishing a Free Will Baptist Church.
During his ministry Bro. Combs pastored churches in Georgia, Florida, and West Virginia. Although an humble man, he emerged as a leader early in his ministry. Bro. Combs helped to lead Free Will Baptists in West Virginia to organize the State Association of Free Will Baptists. A CPA, he was elected Clerk, and served both the WV State Association and the Beckley Conference as Moderator numerous times.
Cecil Combs was a minister during the days when few Free Will Baptist Churches had full-time pastors. A builder by trade, he left a physical legacy as well as a spiritual one. He built hundreds of homes in Raleigh County, WV. In every church he pastored, he used his building skills to construct, remodel, or build additions to the churches, educational units, parsonages and youth camps.
Bro. Combs and his son Billy helped construct the largeVehicle Assembly Building which houses rockets at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. This close proximity to Cocoa Beach brought a burden upon his heart for the town, leading him to establish the Cocoa Free Will Baptist Church, where he pastored for five years. He led in the building of the church facility at the Cocoa Church; youth camps both in West Virginia and Bonifay, Florida; gymnasium and classroom building in Sophia; and additions to the parsonages at Piney Grove Church in Chipley, Florida, and in Sophia. He also led the construction project for the West Virginia Cottage at the Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Greenville, Tennessee during his ministry in the 1950s,
During his years in central Florida, Bro. Combs assisted in organizing Free Will Baptist churches in nearby Vero Beach and Titusville, and organized the Indian River Association, which he served as Moderator. He also served as the moderator of the Florida State Assocation and published the Free Will Baptist State Paper both in Florida and West Virginia.
Bro. Combs was preceded in death by his wife Norma of 58 years. They were blessed with a large family of fourteen children, forty grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Several of their descendants are in ministry. Among them are sons Bob Combs, WV pastor and a former Georgia pastor; Jim Combs, missionary to Brazil; sons-in-law Ed Cook, Kentucky pastor; Jim Puckett, Oklahoma pastor; grandsons Randy Puckett, Home Missionary in Texas; and John Hornsby, chaplain for the H. B. Zachry Company in San Antonio, Texas.
Following Norma's death in 1990, Bro. Combs remarried in 1992. His wife Katherine, the widow of another FWB minister, died in 1996.
The Lord blessed Bro. Combs with a sharp mind and the ability to recite a great body of scripture by heart. He was well known for his Biblical knowledge, especially of eschatology. Although retired after fifty years in the ministry, Bro. Combs continued to serve, conducting a weekly service at Heartland Nursing Home, and filling the pulpit at Sophia in the absence of his pastor. He was extremely active, walking nearly a mile every day until about six months before his death. He often said, "I do my walking and praying at the same time."
Bro. Combs was 91 when he succumbed to cancer. He was buried beside his wife Norma at the Blue Ridge Memorial Cemetery in Beckley, WV. He is remembered by many friends and family members who were blessed by his faithful example of love and dedication to the Lord.
Free Will Baptist minister and pastor William Cecil Combs died on November 14, 2003, at his home in Sophia, West Virginia, where he retired after more than fifty years in the ministry.
Cecil Combs was a native of southwest Virginia, the son of Kemper Jackson and Gaye Davis Combs. His father was a farmer, and his mother a homemaker who was active in founding Sunday Schools in the rural area in which they lived. Cecil loved nature and was an avid hunter. He spent countless hours in the woods and farm country learning much about animals, plants, and trees. He was preceded in death by his parents and two of his three sisters: Ferne Combs Hart and Eva Grace Combs. His sister Kate Combs Steele, is currently a resident of South Carolina. He was also preceded in death by his wife Norma in 1990, daughter Sharon Rose in 1953, and two sons, John in 1975, and Mark in 1988.
Cecil married Norma Elizabeth Ball in 1932 in Lebanon, Virginia. They moved to West Virginia in 1934, where their fifteen children were born and where they raised fourteen children to adulthood. The Combs lived until in West Virginia until 1964 when they moved to central Florida with the intention of establishing a Free Will Baptist Church.
During his ministry Bro. Combs pastored churches in Georgia, Florida, and West Virginia. Although an humble man, he emerged as a leader early in his ministry. Bro. Combs helped to lead Free Will Baptists in West Virginia to organize the State Association of Free Will Baptists. A CPA, he was elected Clerk, and served both the WV State Association and the Beckley Conference as Moderator numerous times.
Cecil Combs was a minister during the days when few Free Will Baptist Churches had full-time pastors. A builder by trade, he left a physical legacy as well as a spiritual one. He built hundreds of homes in Raleigh County, WV. In every church he pastored, he used his building skills to construct, remodel, or build additions to the churches, educational units, parsonages and youth camps.
Bro. Combs and his son Billy helped construct the largeVehicle Assembly Building which houses rockets at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. This close proximity to Cocoa Beach brought a burden upon his heart for the town, leading him to establish the Cocoa Free Will Baptist Church, where he pastored for five years. He led in the building of the church facility at the Cocoa Church; youth camps both in West Virginia and Bonifay, Florida; gymnasium and classroom building in Sophia; and additions to the parsonages at Piney Grove Church in Chipley, Florida, and in Sophia. He also led the construction project for the West Virginia Cottage at the Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Greenville, Tennessee during his ministry in the 1950s,
During his years in central Florida, Bro. Combs assisted in organizing Free Will Baptist churches in nearby Vero Beach and Titusville, and organized the Indian River Association, which he served as Moderator. He also served as the moderator of the Florida State Assocation and published the Free Will Baptist State Paper both in Florida and West Virginia.
Bro. Combs was preceded in death by his wife Norma of 58 years. They were blessed with a large family of fourteen children, forty grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Several of their descendants are in ministry. Among them are sons Bob Combs, WV pastor and a former Georgia pastor; Jim Combs, missionary to Brazil; sons-in-law Ed Cook, Kentucky pastor; Jim Puckett, Oklahoma pastor; grandsons Randy Puckett, Home Missionary in Texas; and John Hornsby, chaplain for the H. B. Zachry Company in San Antonio, Texas.
Following Norma's death in 1990, Bro. Combs remarried in 1992. His wife Katherine, the widow of another FWB minister, died in 1996.
The Lord blessed Bro. Combs with a sharp mind and the ability to recite a great body of scripture by heart. He was well known for his Biblical knowledge, especially of eschatology. Although retired after fifty years in the ministry, Bro. Combs continued to serve, conducting a weekly service at Heartland Nursing Home, and filling the pulpit at Sophia in the absence of his pastor. He was extremely active, walking nearly a mile every day until about six months before his death. He often said, "I do my walking and praying at the same time."
Bro. Combs was 91 when he succumbed to cancer. He was buried beside his wife Norma at the Blue Ridge Memorial Cemetery in Beckley, WV. He is remembered by many friends and family members who were blessed by his faithful example of love and dedication to the Lord.
Cecil Combs was a native of southwest Virginia, the son of Kemper Jackson and Gaye Davis Combs. His father was a farmer, and his mother a homemaker who was active in founding Sunday Schools in the rural area in which they lived. Cecil loved nature and was an avid hunter. He spent countless hours in the woods and farm country learning much about animals, plants, and trees. He was preceded in death by his parents and two of his three sisters: Ferne Combs Hart and Eva Grace Combs. His sister Kate Combs Steele, is currently a resident of South Carolina. He was also preceded in death by his wife Norma in 1990, daughter Sharon Rose in 1953, and two sons, John in 1975, and Mark in 1988.
Cecil married Norma Elizabeth Ball in 1932 in Lebanon, Virginia. They moved to West Virginia in 1934, where their fifteen children were born and where they raised fourteen children to adulthood. The Combs lived until in West Virginia until 1964 when they moved to central Florida with the intention of establishing a Free Will Baptist Church.
During his ministry Bro. Combs pastored churches in Georgia, Florida, and West Virginia. Although an humble man, he emerged as a leader early in his ministry. Bro. Combs helped to lead Free Will Baptists in West Virginia to organize the State Association of Free Will Baptists. A CPA, he was elected Clerk, and served both the WV State Association and the Beckley Conference as Moderator numerous times.
Cecil Combs was a minister during the days when few Free Will Baptist Churches had full-time pastors. A builder by trade, he left a physical legacy as well as a spiritual one. He built hundreds of homes in Raleigh County, WV. In every church he pastored, he used his building skills to construct, remodel, or build additions to the churches, educational units, parsonages and youth camps.
Bro. Combs and his son Billy helped construct the largeVehicle Assembly Building which houses rockets at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. This close proximity to Cocoa Beach brought a burden upon his heart for the town, leading him to establish the Cocoa Free Will Baptist Church, where he pastored for five years. He led in the building of the church facility at the Cocoa Church; youth camps both in West Virginia and Bonifay, Florida; gymnasium and classroom building in Sophia; and additions to the parsonages at Piney Grove Church in Chipley, Florida, and in Sophia. He also led the construction project for the West Virginia Cottage at the Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Greenville, Tennessee during his ministry in the 1950s,
During his years in central Florida, Bro. Combs assisted in organizing Free Will Baptist churches in nearby Vero Beach and Titusville, and organized the Indian River Association, which he served as Moderator. He also served as the moderator of the Florida State Assocation and published the Free Will Baptist State Paper both in Florida and West Virginia.
Bro. Combs was preceded in death by his wife Norma of 58 years. They were blessed with a large family of fourteen children, forty grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Several of their descendants are in ministry. Among them are sons Bob Combs, WV pastor and a former Georgia pastor; Jim Combs, missionary to Brazil; sons-in-law Ed Cook, Kentucky pastor; Jim Puckett, Oklahoma pastor; grandsons Randy Puckett, Home Missionary in Texas; and John Hornsby, chaplain for the H. B. Zachry Company in San Antonio, Texas.
Following Norma's death in 1990, Bro. Combs remarried in 1992. His wife Katherine, the widow of another FWB minister, died in 1996.
The Lord blessed Bro. Combs with a sharp mind and the ability to recite a great body of scripture by heart. He was well known for his Biblical knowledge, especially of eschatology. Although retired after fifty years in the ministry, Bro. Combs continued to serve, conducting a weekly service at Heartland Nursing Home, and filling the pulpit at Sophia in the absence of his pastor. He was extremely active, walking nearly a mile every day until about six months before his death. He often said, "I do my walking and praying at the same time."
Bro. Combs was 91 when he succumbed to cancer. He was buried beside his wife Norma at the Blue Ridge Memorial Cemetery in Beckley, WV. He is remembered by many friends and family members who were blessed by his faithful example of love and dedication to the Lord.
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