Donald Combs

1957 - 2023

Donald H. Combs

October 16, 1957 - September 15, 2023

Pikeville, Kentucky - Donald Howard Combs, 65, passed away peacefully at his home in Pikeville, Kentucky on Friday, September 15, 2023.

Don was born in Pikeville on October 16, 1957, the first of three sons of Donald and Alcie Howard Combs. He was immensely proud of his hometown, never failing to greet most he came across, whether friend or stranger, with the same refrain – sticking out his hand to shake theirs, he would say "Hi. Don Combs, from Pikeville, Kentucky."

Growing up in Pikeville, Don attended the Pikeville Independent Schools, graduating from Pikeville High School in 1975. During his childhood, he was very involved in the Boy Scouts. As a member of Troop 10, he earned the rank of Eagle and was a member of the Order of the Arrow. Don went on to attend Transylvania University, where he majored in Political Science and joined the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, graduating in 1979. After college, Don, following in his father's footsteps, attended the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he joined the Phi Delta Phi legal honor society, graduating in 1982 and being admitted to the Kentucky Bar the same year. Always planning for his next fishing trip, Don was also admitted to the Florida Bar shortly thereafter. He was certain that he and Leslie would need to be able to "retire" to Florida where he could fish and, knowing that he would never be interested in retiring in the true sense of the word, he just knew he would still need to be able to practice law once they did so.

Don clerked for Kentucky Supreme Court Justice James B. Stephenson before returning home to Pikeville to join his father in private practice. Upon his return, Don's father renamed the firm, formerly Stephens, Combs, and Page, a firm that had been serving its clients for over 100 years, to Combs & Combs P.S.C. A few short months later, Don's father passed away from cancer that had spread too quickly for the family to have been prepared. Having less than two years of practice under his belt, Don took over the firm. With a large number of trials imminently pending, he worked quickly and diligently to serve his clients. With the help of his dedicated, experienced, and skilled staff as well as a handful of collegial fellow lawyers and true friends, the firm continued to serve the needs of all of its various clients in the years that followed. His two brothers later joined him in private practice, and he was blessed to have his most trusted and faithful confidant, Ambre, whom he relied on implicitly, by his side throughout his career. As an attorney, Don conducted himself with integrity, diligence, and compassion. He was careful to truly listen to his clients, seeking to represent them and meet their needs in a manner that would ease their concerns and worries. Don remained always proud of the history and legacy of Combs and Combs, never losing sight of the responsibility and honorable calling of his profession.

Don was proud to be a lawyer and was dedicated to the legal community in Kentucky. He was a member of many legal organizations, including the Pike County Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Kentucky Justice Association, the American Association of Justice, and the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel. At the time of his passing, he was serving as the Chair of the Kentucky Judicial Ethics Commission and member of the Kentucky Supreme Court Rules Committee. Don had previously served the Kentucky Bar Association on the House of Delegates, Lawyers Professionalism Committee (1988-1996), Continuing Legal Education Commission (1996-1999), and Board of Governors (2000-2005). He was also a Life Member of the UK Alumni Association and a UK Fellow as a member of the College of Law's Lafferty Society.

Don was absolute in his dedication to living his life in the most ethical way he knew how, guided by his moral compass and the rule of law; at all times anchored by his faith in God. He was resolute in his spirituality and an avid and discerning student of the Bible. Don was a lifelong member of the Pikeville United Methodist Church.

Beyond his faith and his career, Don dedicated the other parts of his life (the "slices of life" as he often described) to actively serving others. He was happiest when he was helping people, and the people in Don's life were most important to him. He tried his best to treat everyone he encountered with dignity, respect, and patience, and had a unique way of making friends anywhere he went. He cherished all of his friendships, both new and old. As for his lifelong friends, of which there were many, he was fiercely loyal and protective, but he also relied on them in many ways. He truly enjoyed talking and spending time with the people in his life, never too busy with 'work' to remember to 'play' as well ("balance" as he would call it). Don had many passions in life, many of which he enjoyed with his friends – fishing, golfing, cooking, photography, and visiting his favorite place, Costco. He was on a constant mission to learn new things about these endeavors and collected more supplies for them than any one person needed (purchasing many of these gadgets, tools, and toys from Costco).

Don and his wife, Leslie, had been together 45 years, having been married for 39. The two met during college at Transylvania University and married at the Pikeville United Methodist Church on May 19, 1984. Together, they built their life in Pikeville, with their two children, Elizabeth and Don III. Don's love for his family was boundless. Throughout all of the obstacles in his life, Leslie was Don's most constant source of support. He was so proud of her many accomplishments and always looked to her to "fix it" no matter the situation, knowing that she always would. While he had many roles in life, being Elizabeth and Don III's Dad was his most sacred and treasured. Don's children were the source of his deepest pride and most significant joy. They will be his greatest legacy.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Alcie Howard Combs of Pikeville; brother, Steven Daniel Combs of Pikeville; maternal grandparents, Noah Daniel and Edith Chase Howard of Wayland and Pikeville; and his paternal grandparents, Emanuel and Mollie Napier Combs of Hazard. He is survived by his wife, Leslie Adams Combs; children, Elizabeth Anne Alcie Combs and Donald Howard (Emily) Combs III; brother, Robert (Afif) Combs; sister-in-law, Teresa Hefner Combs; "boss," Ambre Robinette; mother-in-law, Ivory Staton Moore; and a host of other family, including two nieces, one nephew, and several cousins with whom he was very close, as well as a legion of friends, including the Snoot Club and the "Feasting Friends."

Services will be held in Pikeville at the Pikeville United Methodist Church, with Visitation on Friday, September 22, 2023 from 4:00-6:00pm and Funeral Service on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 11:00am. A private burial will follow. Serving as pallbearers will be Donald Howard Combs III, Jim Rogers, J. Don Wallen, Jay McGhee, Michael Fleet Johnson, and Russell H. Davis, Jr. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Ambre Robinette, Charles Hibbits, Randy Hayes, Justice Will T. Scott, Ballard Cassady, Jr., Jim Lyon, Steve Hogg, Jesse Salyer, Steve Owens, and Gary C. Johnson. Arrangements will be managed by J.W. Call Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Kentucky Bar Foundation, 514 West Main Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 (www.kybarfoundation.org/donate) or the Costco Foundation for Employee Scholarships.

Don's family is at peace knowing that he is casting a line on the other side.