Larry O'Dell Combs

Funeral services for Larry Combs, 71, of Portales will be held at 10:00 AM, Fri., Dec. 3, 2021 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Hadley Howe officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Scott Lara, Mando Montano, Ryan Schmidt, Paul Guss, Alan Galassini and Monte Lancaster serving as pallbearers.  Kelly Galassini along with all of the Combs Properties Employees will serve as honorary pallbearers.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to Legacy Church in Portales.

Larry O'Dell Combs was born Sept. 27, 1950 in Portales, NM to the home of Ida Lou (Best) and Elward McKinley Combs and died at his home in Portales on the morning of Nov. 29, 2021.  When he was a boy, the family moved to several different communities including Texico, NM as well as in Arizona and Texas.  Larry graduated from Floydada High School in 1968.  He was working at the Sirloin Stockade restaurant in Iowa City, IA in 1974, when he met Joyce Dauenbaugh who was also working there.  They were married on Oct. 25, 1975 in Iowa City, IA.  They made their home there until 1978, when they moved to Memphis, TN.  A year later they moved to Davenport, IA.  Their first child, Christopher Elward Combs was born there on Christmas Day in 1981.  In 1993, they had their second child, Megan Ashley Combs.

In 1984, they moved back to Portales and bought a restaurant.  They operated Combs Country Cookin' until the mid 1980's when they sold it.  In 1987, they established Combs Properties.  Since then they have been buying and selling and building rental properties.  Larry ran and supervised Combs Properties until his passing.

He is survived by Joyce, his loving wife of 46 years; his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Janelle Combs also of Portales and their children, Rudy and Kinsley; a daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Ryan Schmidt of Carlsbad, NM; a sister and brother-in-law, Cindy and Bobby Ayers of Benbrook, TX and their son, Justin; as well as a number of his wife's siblings and her eight nieces and nephews.  He was was preceded in death by his mother, Ida Lou Combs and his father, Elward Combs as well as a niece.

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