Ina B. Combs

Ina B. Combs, 92, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, passed peacefully into the care of her heavenly Father on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. Faith, family, and friends were the foundations of her life. Ina was a career-long federal employee and long-time Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church. Born March 8, 1920 in Wagon Mound, New Mexico to Walter M. and Bertha Cates Shultz, she was raised in Thalia, Foard County, Texas. Ina married William Grady Combs in 1940. They made Hot Springs their home in 1944 where she became a devoted member of First Baptist. Ina began her thirty-five year career as a proud federal employee in 1946 at the U.S. Public Health Service. In 1953, she transferred to the Department of the Army's Army-Navy Hospital. In 1960, she joined the Ouachita National Forest at their Hot Springs Headquarters, retiring in 1983. Throughout her career, she received numerous awards and citations for outstanding service. She taught Sunday school at First Baptist for forty years, serving as director of the third grade department. She was also active in the Gleaner's Sunday school class and the Mission Action Group. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a brother, Isaac Shultz, and a sister, Helen Tedford. She is survived by a son, Ben Combs and his wife Kay; grandchildren Christopher Combs, Kathleen Combs, and Melissa Drennan; great-grandsons Reece and Whit Weatherton, all of Little Rock; a beloved niece, Sherry Boyd of Abilene, Texas; a step-son, Ed Combs and family of Fromberg, Montana; a step-daughter, Loy Combs Young of Dana Point, California; and a special caregiver and friend, Sue Godwin of Hot Springs. The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at Quapaw Care for their love and attention in recent years, and to doctors Fred Heinemann and Steve Bodeman for their years of care. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at First Baptist Church on Saturday. A visitation will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the memorial service at 2 p.m. Dr. John McCallum will officiate. Ina Combs will be laid to rest at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 24 at Crestview Cemetery. Pallbearers are Christopher Combs, Pete Davenport, Bill Walker, Brandon Jones, Alex Strawn, and Russell Dunn. Honorary pallbearers are the men of First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Children's Ministry at First Baptist Church: 2350 Central Avenue, Hot Springs Ark. 71901. Guests may register at www.caruth-hale.com.