Eva Jean Combes

Eva Jean (Tate) Combes, daughter of the late Ralph and Bertha Tate, was born December 27, 1940, in Willoughby, Ohio, and departed this life September 18, 2023, at her home in Seymour, Missouri. She was 82 years, 8 months, and 22 days of age.

Eva was born and raised in Willoughby, Ohio, and graduated from Willoughby High School in 1958. She was united in marriage to Leland Combes on September 5, 1959, in Mentor, Ohio. Three children were born to this union: Laura, Michelle, and Sherree.

Leland and Eva made their home in Ohio until 1994, when they moved to Illinois and lived there until 2004. Then, they moved to Seymour, Missouri, where they have lived for nearly 20 years. Eva worked as a Technical Publications Manager at IPC in Chicago, Illinois, for 25 years.

The most important thing in Eva’s life was her religion and her church. She loved to sing at church, and she loved to teach children to sing. She is a member of the First Baptist Church in Seymour, Missouri, and she also taught Sunday School for many years. Eva enjoyed gardening immensely. She also loved her many dogs and enjoyed looking after them.

Besides her parents, Eva was preceded in death by one daughter, Michelle Long, three brothers, Donald Tate, Earl Tate, and Bobby Tate, and two sisters, Elaine Fusner and Rosalie Bennefield.

She is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Leland Combes, two daughters, Laura Colbert and Sherree Liggett and her husband, David, eight grandchildren, Katelyn, Sarah, Emily, Alyssa, Christopher, Gabrielle, Richard, and Andrew, eight great-grandchildren, one sister, Arlene O’Neal, and many other extended family and friends who will miss her.