Vera Mccombs

Vera Ellen McCombs left for her heavenly home on Sunday at the age of 88.  She was born on November 12, 1931, to Vera Ogden Gruben and Alvin Gruben.  She was the youngest girl of eight siblings.  Faith, Family and Football were her passions, especially the Dallas Cowboys and Patrick Mahomes.  She was the Rotan High School Outstanding Girl in 1948-49 and a year after graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, Billie Joe McCombs, the Outstanding Boy of 1947-48.  They were married 70 years on Tuesday, February 11th, and she remained his devoted caregiver until the end.  She was a faithful member of Cross Roads Baptist Church for 78 years where she sang in the Gruben Quartet with three of her brothers, Glen, Bobby and Wilber.  Her family was awarded the Pioneer Family in 1997 by the Rotan Chamber.  McCombs Farm and Cattle were recognized in Austin in 2003 by the Family Land Heritage Commission for 100 years of agriculture on the same land by the same family.  She was an active and avid supporter of the Fisher County Historical Society and the Museum.  She supported students in Sweetwater ISD for 40 years, especially the Jump Rope Team and holiday traditions.  She considered her greatest accomplishments to be her three daughters and their families.

She is survived by her husband, Billie Joe McCombs and her daughters, Lou Klepper and her husband Frankie of Harper, Kathy McCombs Smartt of Sweetwater, and Tina Blair and her husband Martin of Mason, who will all miss her dearly.  She was MeMaw to her granddaughters, Tiffany Klepper, Tara (John) Guevara and Paige (Jeremy) Duarte. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Grayson Guevara, Dallas Duarte and most recently Blair Duarte, all who were the joy of her life. She also enjoyed two bonus great-grandchildren, Creagh and Cambell Smartt. She is also survived by her sister LaVerne Upshaw and her brothers Bobby Gruben and Wilber (Mary) Gruben. She will also be remembered by her numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and an infant son Joe Alan McCombs, her siblings and their spouses Melva (Rev.Edgar) Jones, Glen (Billie) Gruben, Georgie (Rev.Therman) Upshaw and Charlie Gruben, and her in-laws Carol Ann Gruben, Ellen Gruben and most recently Preston Upshaw. Her father and mother in-law, Ollie and Bertha McCombs, were also at Heaven's gates to greet her.

Her service will be Thursday, February 20, 2020, at 2pm at the Cross Roads Baptist Church.  A visitation  will be held at 1pm at the Church prior to the service at 2:00.  She will then be laid to rest in the Belvieu Cemetery in Rotan, Tx.

Memorials can be made to the church she loved, Cross Roads Baptist Church, and can be mailed to 533 FM 2832 Rotan, Texas, 79546.