Catherine “Olivia” Combs passed away peacefully at home surrounded by all of her children on March 23, 2015, twenty days after her 86th birthday.
Olivia was born on March 3, 1929, in Springfield Missouri, to Allen and Delpha Cagle. She met her husband Loyd L. Combs of Bolivar, MO, while serving as the organist at the wedding ceremony for Loyd’s brother, Joe, and his wife Ada. They were married on December 23, 1948 and celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this past December. After their marriage, Loyd and Olivia moved first to Columbia, MO, then Iberia, and then Jefferson City before moving to Joplin in 1953. During this time she held secretarial positions with the Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, and the Veterans Program in Agriculture.
Olivia and Loyd have made their home in Joplin for the last 62 years, during which Olivia raised four children, taught piano, managed Oakland Hardware Store, which she owned with Loyd, and later served as office manager and agent for New York Life Insurance in Joplin. She retired in 1990.
Olivia attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield and later Missouri Southern State College, majoring in music at both schools. She was an accomplished musician: an organist, pianist, vocalist, choir director, and bell choir member. Over the years, she served as an organist and choir director at Faith Assembly of God Church in Joplin, as an organist and children’s choir director at First Community Church in Joplin, and periodically served as organist in numerous other Joplin churches. She played for weddings and funerals upon request and her talent was well known and highly regarded. Olivia was a member of the First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, and for more than twenty-five years, was a member of the Choral Society at Missouri Southern State College.
Olivia is survived by her husband Loyd; by their four children: Joanna (Jim) Adams of Grand Junction, Colorado, Terri Combs (Tom Swartwood) of Des Moines, Iowa, Ron (Rosemary) Combs of Joplin, and Tracy (George) Cisco of Kansas City. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Jamie Combs, Jessica Adams, Justin Adams, Ryan Combs, Kaitlin Swartwood, and Atticus Swartwood, and five great-grandchildren: Haven, Ebbon, Tredyn, Deakin, and Kody.
She is pre-deceased by her parents, by two brothers, Vernon and Troy Cagle, and by her nephew Robbie.
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mason-Woodward Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at First United Methodist Church in Joplin with the Rev. Wm. Brock Watson and the Rev. Bruce Jacobs officiating. Burial will follow at the Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Hospice Compassus or First United Methodist Church.
The family wishes to thank Hospice Compassus, the Transitional Care Unit of Freeman Hospital, and our many friends and family members who supported and cared so lovingly for Mom. We may have lost Mom’s physical presence but her spirit, love and compassion will live on in our memories forever.
Arrangements are under the direction of Mason-Woodward Mortuary of Joplin, Mo.
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