Marvin E. Holcombe

Marvin E. Holcombe, 86, of Roanoke County, Va., passed away Tuesday morning, September 23, 2008, after a brief illness. He was born in 1922 in Central, S.C., as one of five sons to Raymond and Sallie Sullivan Holcombe. Marvin served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. He attended and graduated from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina in 1947. His major was electrical engineering.
His successful 40 year engineering career began with R.H. Boulingy, Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina. He became a Senior Vice-President of Boulingy while living in Wytheville, Va. Later his career led him to Roanoke, Va., where he was President of Richardson-Wayland Electrical Corporation of Roanoke.
After retirement from his electrical career, he began working for AFLAC Company in Roanoke, Va. He was a faithful member and Ordained Deacon of the Grandin Court Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Laura, who passed away on November 22, 2004. They are together in Heaven devoted to each other as they were on this Earth.
He will be missed by his daughter, Rebecca H. Harrison, of Ashburn, Va., two brothers and sister-in-laws, Bill and Corrine Holcombe, of Lutz, Fla., and Milton and Betty Jo Holcombe, of Dallas, Texas; a brother-in-law, Sigmond Miller, of Roanoke, Va.; seven nephews, Edward L. Holcombe, of Landrum, S.C., Edward A. Holcombe, of Virginia Beach, Rodney F. Holcombe, of Tampa, Fla., W.J. Clark III, of St. Charles, Ill., Marshall L. Clark, of Virginia Beach, Va., Jason C. Burke, of Rockwell, N.C., and James W. Burke, of Huntersville, N.C.; five nieces, Carrie Sue Crosby, of Yorktown, Barbara H. Saxby, of Jamesboro, Ga., Brenda G. Holcombe, of Goose Creek, S.C., Kathy H. Wheeler, of Dallas, Texas, and Karen H. Leftwich, of Columbia Falls, Mont. He was known as "Papa" by his beloved Adam and Sarah Anne Burke, of Rockwell, N.C.
The family is grateful for the members of Grandin Court Baptist Church, his Sunday School Class, the Co-Ed Adults, the Grandin Glory Senior Choir, his friends and neighbors and all of his doctors and nurses in Roanoke and Lansdowne.
Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2008, at Oakey's South Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Kevin Meadows and the Rev. Carol Johnston officiating. Interment will follow in Thornspring Cemetery, Pulaski, Va.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Grandin Court Baptist Church Building Fund, 2660 Brambleton Avenue, S.W., Roanoke, Va. 24015. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 26, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at Oakey's South Chapel, 540-989-3131.