Obituary for Ray A. McCombs
Ray Allen McCombs, age 103, died on Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Danbury Woods in Wooster, Ohio after a short period of declining health.
Funeral services will be held Friday, September 21, 2018, 2:00 PM at the Gresser Funeral Home, 415 N. Elm St. Orrville. Rev John Furno will be officiating. Burial will be at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Orrville, OH. Masonic service will be held just prior to the funeral.
Visitation will be held on Friday, September 21, 2018, 12 - 2 PM at the funeral home.
The family suggests that friends may make a donation to the Augsburg Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 140 W. Water St, Orrville, OH 44667 in his memory.
Ray Allen McCombs was the son of Carrie M (Moore) and Charles L. McCombs. He was born December 29, 1914 at home in Jewett, Oh. As a boy, he worked on the family farm and on neighbor’s farms, did work for the one-room school he attended and worked at the Scio Pottery.
He married Wilma Ruth Franklin the fateful morning of December 7, 1941. Soon they purchased the Franklin Grocery store from Wilma’s parents, Ward & Ethel Burton Franklin. Soon they had their first child, Judy Lynn.
Ray & Wilma left their successful Jewett business to purchase the Boyer Auto Theater & amusement facility in Strasburg, Ohio in partnership with Ward & Ethel Franklin. They renamed it the Lynn
Drive-In, modernized the theater and eliminated the amusement portion of the property.
In Strasburg, Ray and Wilma added two more children to their family, Wendy Rae and Randy Burdette.
When Ward and Ethel wanted to retire, it was decided this successful business adventure would end. The theater was sold and Ray and Wilma purchased the Bowers Food Mart in Orrville, Ohio in 1961. They changed the name to McCombs Food Mart and were pioneers in providing credit and delivering groceries and continued this as a successful business until their retirement in 1977. Ray also sold real estate in the Orrville area. When they came to Orrville, they purchased a home in town where Ray has now resided 57 years.
They attended Lutheran Church in Orrville. Both Ray and Wilma were active in Masonic organizations with Ray being honored as a 75-year Mason two years ago.
Ray leaves his 3 children, Judy Lynn Foster, Wendy Ray Green and Randy Burdette (Judy) McCombs.
Also surviving are 7 grandchildren, Judy’s Shannon (Daniel) Kshywonis and Ashley (Travis) Okel. Wendy’s Kristina (Brian) McDaniel and Ryan (Gabriel) Green. Randy’s Anna Maria (Matthew) Conte, Marissa (Nicholas) Suhocki and Charles (Mimi) McCombs. Their grandchildren have blessed Ray with 11 great grandchildren, each of which has delighted him.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, parents and all of his 5 siblings. He was 103 ½, telling that the half must be included because he’d earned it!
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Funeral services will be held Friday, September 21, 2018, 2:00 PM at the Gresser Funeral Home, 415 N. Elm St. Orrville. Rev John Furno will be officiating. Burial will be at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Orrville, OH. Masonic service will be held just prior to the funeral.
Visitation will be held on Friday, September 21, 2018, 12 - 2 PM at the funeral home.
The family suggests that friends may make a donation to the Augsburg Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 140 W. Water St, Orrville, OH 44667 in his memory.
Ray Allen McCombs was the son of Carrie M (Moore) and Charles L. McCombs. He was born December 29, 1914 at home in Jewett, Oh. As a boy, he worked on the family farm and on neighbor’s farms, did work for the one-room school he attended and worked at the Scio Pottery.
He married Wilma Ruth Franklin the fateful morning of December 7, 1941. Soon they purchased the Franklin Grocery store from Wilma’s parents, Ward & Ethel Burton Franklin. Soon they had their first child, Judy Lynn.
Ray & Wilma left their successful Jewett business to purchase the Boyer Auto Theater & amusement facility in Strasburg, Ohio in partnership with Ward & Ethel Franklin. They renamed it the Lynn
Drive-In, modernized the theater and eliminated the amusement portion of the property.
In Strasburg, Ray and Wilma added two more children to their family, Wendy Rae and Randy Burdette.
When Ward and Ethel wanted to retire, it was decided this successful business adventure would end. The theater was sold and Ray and Wilma purchased the Bowers Food Mart in Orrville, Ohio in 1961. They changed the name to McCombs Food Mart and were pioneers in providing credit and delivering groceries and continued this as a successful business until their retirement in 1977. Ray also sold real estate in the Orrville area. When they came to Orrville, they purchased a home in town where Ray has now resided 57 years.
They attended Lutheran Church in Orrville. Both Ray and Wilma were active in Masonic organizations with Ray being honored as a 75-year Mason two years ago.
Ray leaves his 3 children, Judy Lynn Foster, Wendy Ray Green and Randy Burdette (Judy) McCombs.
Also surviving are 7 grandchildren, Judy’s Shannon (Daniel) Kshywonis and Ashley (Travis) Okel. Wendy’s Kristina (Brian) McDaniel and Ryan (Gabriel) Green. Randy’s Anna Maria (Matthew) Conte, Marissa (Nicholas) Suhocki and Charles (Mimi) McCombs. Their grandchildren have blessed Ray with 11 great grandchildren, each of which has delighted him.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, parents and all of his 5 siblings. He was 103 ½, telling that the half must be included because he’d earned it!
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