Obituary of Bertie Combs

Bertie Elizabeth Parris Combs, 92, of the Alarka community went home to be with her Lord Friday, October 19, 2012 in a Buncombe County hospital. She was born October 19, 1920 and died on her birthday. A native of Swain County, she was the daughter of the late Taylor and Dora Barker Parris. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, Horace Jones and Huey Combs; one daughter, Elizabeth Jones; two sons, Alfred and Roy Jones; son-in-law, Nelson Barnes; one granddaughter, Robin Barnes Setzer; two great grandchildren, Christin McGaha Phillips, D.J. McGaha; six sisters; and one brother. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, canning, gardening, flowers, quilting, family, and church friends. She is survived by four daughters, Hazel Shultz and husband Roy, Betty Barnes, Jean Cochran and husband Bruce and Judy Baines, all of Bryson City; one stepson, Horace Combs and wife Linda of Savannah, GA; one stepdaughter, Susan Combs of Winston-Salem, NC; 15 grandchildren; 29 great grandchildren; eight great great grandchildren; six step grandchildren; eight step great grandchildren; one step great great grandchild; one sister, Vinnie Phillips of Bryson City; two brothers, Troy Parris of Bryson City, Virgil Parris of Cornelia, GA; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday at the Alarka Church of God of which she was a member. Revs. Benji Collins, Bobby Dishman, Jim Frady and Eddie Stillwell will officiate with burial in the Mason Branch Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Crisp Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church one hour prior to the service.