Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
CAMAS VALLEY -- Camas flowers covered the valley floor, when Welcome Combs' grandfather arrived in 1853 and settled among the plush green trees and clear blue streams flowing into Coquille River.
Her grandfather, Alston Martindale, was one of the first two people to permanently reside in Camas Valley. He would raise her mother, Betty Martindale, who would later marry Robert Lee, and give birth to Combs.
Combs, 95, never departed from the valley, and remained on her grandfather's land her entire life. She died July 25.
"She migrated 400 feet," said her husband, James Combs, chuckling.
Combs felt strong ties to her family lineage and to the valley. She wanted to preserve its history for future generations.
In the 1950s, Combs published her first and only book called "God Made A Valley." The book tells about Camas Valley's settlers and the first stores, schools and churches. Pictures and maps illustrate the town's early days. The book was printed again in 1970.
"She has always loved history," said Sharon Hudgins, her daughter.
Combs' interest in her family's role in shaping history started at a young age. At 11 years old, she was runner-up in a statewide essay contest. She wrote about World War I because her brother served in the war. As a reward, Combs spent two to three days in Portland and received a trophy cup.
In adulthood, Combs tracked her family history all the way back to England.
Combs cared as much about her genealogy as she did her immediate family. In July 1929, Combs married James Combs in Coquille. They had one child, Hudgins, two grandchildren and a great grandchild.
"She was very sentimental," Hudgins said. "She kept all of my shoes, dresses and papers from school and her grandkids, the same way."
James Combs worked in the lumber industry for more than 50 years, and Combs was a school teacher for six years. She taught grade school in Camas Valley and Upper Olalla in the 1920s and '30s. She had all eight grades and did her own janitor work, including building the fire, Hudgins said. Combs went to college in Monmouth to get her teaching degree.
"She really loved children," Hudgins said.
In the community, Combs was a part of the Camas Valley Grange, Toastmasters and the Camas Valley United Methodist Church. She and her mother, Betty, also started a Camas Valley Garden Club.
"She liked people and liked to go places," Hudgins said.
In the spring, Combs would spend hours working in the garden. She grew every kind of flower and at one point, Combs had 28 varieties of daffodils in her garden.
She didn't have a favorite flower. "She wanted all of them," James Combs said.
For the Combses' 25th anniversary, they took a trip around the United States. They visited 32 states and Canada. They went to Niagara Falls because they wanted to go there for their honeymoon, but never made it.
On their 50th anniversary, Hudgins gave her parents a picture frame filled with pennies because Combs collected coins. The years engraved next to Abraham Lincoln's face marked every year the Combses were married. Since then, the couple has added 25 pennies with the new dates.
The frame now hangs above the mantel as a reminder of the Combses' 75 years together, which James Combs said has given him just "too many good memories."
* You can reach reporter Danielle Gillespie at 957-4202 or by e-mail at dgillespie@newsreview.info.
Her grandfather, Alston Martindale, was one of the first two people to permanently reside in Camas Valley. He would raise her mother, Betty Martindale, who would later marry Robert Lee, and give birth to Combs.
Combs, 95, never departed from the valley, and remained on her grandfather's land her entire life. She died July 25.
"She migrated 400 feet," said her husband, James Combs, chuckling.
Combs felt strong ties to her family lineage and to the valley. She wanted to preserve its history for future generations.
In the 1950s, Combs published her first and only book called "God Made A Valley." The book tells about Camas Valley's settlers and the first stores, schools and churches. Pictures and maps illustrate the town's early days. The book was printed again in 1970.
"She has always loved history," said Sharon Hudgins, her daughter.
Combs' interest in her family's role in shaping history started at a young age. At 11 years old, she was runner-up in a statewide essay contest. She wrote about World War I because her brother served in the war. As a reward, Combs spent two to three days in Portland and received a trophy cup.
In adulthood, Combs tracked her family history all the way back to England.
Combs cared as much about her genealogy as she did her immediate family. In July 1929, Combs married James Combs in Coquille. They had one child, Hudgins, two grandchildren and a great grandchild.
"She was very sentimental," Hudgins said. "She kept all of my shoes, dresses and papers from school and her grandkids, the same way."
James Combs worked in the lumber industry for more than 50 years, and Combs was a school teacher for six years. She taught grade school in Camas Valley and Upper Olalla in the 1920s and '30s. She had all eight grades and did her own janitor work, including building the fire, Hudgins said. Combs went to college in Monmouth to get her teaching degree.
"She really loved children," Hudgins said.
In the community, Combs was a part of the Camas Valley Grange, Toastmasters and the Camas Valley United Methodist Church. She and her mother, Betty, also started a Camas Valley Garden Club.
"She liked people and liked to go places," Hudgins said.
In the spring, Combs would spend hours working in the garden. She grew every kind of flower and at one point, Combs had 28 varieties of daffodils in her garden.
She didn't have a favorite flower. "She wanted all of them," James Combs said.
For the Combses' 25th anniversary, they took a trip around the United States. They visited 32 states and Canada. They went to Niagara Falls because they wanted to go there for their honeymoon, but never made it.
On their 50th anniversary, Hudgins gave her parents a picture frame filled with pennies because Combs collected coins. The years engraved next to Abraham Lincoln's face marked every year the Combses were married. Since then, the couple has added 25 pennies with the new dates.
The frame now hangs above the mantel as a reminder of the Combses' 75 years together, which James Combs said has given him just "too many good memories."
* You can reach reporter Danielle Gillespie at 957-4202 or by e-mail at dgillespie@newsreview.info.
