Corky Combs, 75, a long-time Baker City resident, died Feb. 10, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Ritualistic rites will be accorded by B.P.O.E. Lodge No. 338. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home.
Corky was born July 7, 1929, in Baker City to Carl and Thelma (Shephard) Combs. He was raised in Baker City and attended school in Baker and Huntington. He graduated from Huntington High School in 1947. He attended Western Oregon College at Monmouth for several months. He married Betty Brewer in 1946. They left Monmouth and moved to Baker in 1948.
He bought a grocery delivery service and after several years he sold it and went to work for Darigold Dairies of La Grande, delivering milk in Baker. After several months, he started his own milk business called Corky’s Independent Milk Service. Then he merged with Meadow Gold Dairies. Later he bought out Valley Dairy and the business became Baker Dairies. Then he added an ice business with two other partners and it was called B.J.C. Ice Co. In 1972, he started a food wholesale company known as Baker Wholesale. As the business grew, he sold the milk business.
His wife and three sons were always a part of the business. Corky retired in 1987.
After his retirement, golf became his great love. He became very involved in the Baker Golf Club. He served as president of the Social Club. He ran the Baker Elks Golf Tournament for many years and he also helped with many of the other tournaments. He had his own golf tournament for many years called the Meadow Gold Golf Tournament. It is now the FirstBank Tournament.
In his earlier years, his interests were hunting, basketball and fast pitch softball. He was instrumental in bringing the 1968 Fast Pitch State Softball Tournament to Baker. He also brought Eddie Feiner, known as the “King and His Court” (the famous four-man fast pitch softball team) to Baker City.
Corky was a member of the Baker Elks Lodge, B.P.O.E. No. 338 for 53 years.
Corky is survived by his wife of 58 years, Betty; sons, Steve Combs and his wife, Pixie, Craig Combs and his wife, Penny, and Bart Combs; sister and brother-in-law, Carmen and Bob Macy; grandchildren, Hannah and Rafael Rigueiro, Sada Combs, Danielle Combs, Andrea and Tory Weimer, Jeremy Combs and Cristopher Endicott; great-grandchildren, Kersey Jordan, Tristan Weimer and Jamisun Rigueiro; several nieces and nephews and an aunt, Ella Shephard Hunt.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his father and mother and an uncle.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions in Corky’s memory may direct them to Corky Combs Golf Memorial through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 18, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor