GARY LEE COOMBS

COOMBS

Gary Lee Coombs, 64, a resident of Fort Scott, died Thursday, Aug. 2, at his home.

He was born Nov. 18, 1947, in Fort Scott and raised by his parents, Bill Hawkins and Grace Potorff Hawkins.

Gary married Sharon Auxier on Dec. 22, 1998, at Fort Scott. She preceded him in death on Aug. 21, 2009.

Gary was a welder and had been employed by Klein Tool in Moran, Kan., for several years. He had served with the United States Army during the Vietnam War and later served with the Kansas Army National Guard from 1972 to 1985. He enjoyed fishing and woodworking, as well as visiting with his many family and friends.

Survivors include a son, Marc Coombs and wife, Emily, Rogers, Ark.; a daughter, Bridget Coombs, of Fort Scott; a stepson, David Auxier and wife Michelle, Overland Park, Kan.; two step-daughters, Annette Butler and husband Shaun, Woonsocket, R.I., and Lisa Watkins and husband Bill, Fort Scott. Also surviving are his mother, Grace Hill, Fort Scott; four brothers, Hugh Hawkins, Kansas City, Mo., Mike Hawkins and wife Wanda, Kansas City, Kan., Paul Hawkins and wife Connie, Deerfield, Mo., and Larry Coombs and wife Sherry, Batesville, Ark.; a sister, Sue Reasoner and husband Randy, Fort Scott; a sister-in-law, Toni Antonacci, Kansas City, Kan.; 11 grandchildren and his beloved cat, Peko.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his father, Bill Hawkins, a brother, Jerry Coombs, and a sister, Carol Hill.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery where military honors will be provided by the Olson Frary Burkhart Post No. 1165 Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Gary Coombs Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, Kan., 66701.

Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.