Dorothy Lynetta Combs

COMBS, DOROTHY LYNETTA WALLACE BARKLEY - born August 2, 1921 and died July 25, 2011. She was preceded in death by husband of 36 years, the Rev. Claud G. Barkley and second husband, Col. (Ret) Sam Combs; father and mother, Anderson D. and Maybelle Gurley Wallace; brothers, A.D. Wallace and Ben Wallace. Survived by daughter Dorothy Barkley Bryson and husband Bob; son John Barkley and wife Kim; grandchildren Garrett and Kendall Barkley; brother John Edward Wallace and wife, Boots. She was Grandma Dot to her grandchildren and Miss Dot to many at church where music, children, and Bible studies were her passions. Born in Meridian, Mississippi Dot dreamed of college and doing more than their depression-era finances would allow. With her own hard work and thanks to the WMU of Lauderdale County, Mississippi she was able to graduate from Meridian Junior College and Blue Mountain College. An independent woman before that was a popular thing to be, Dot took a position at Jackson Memorial Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia after graduation. It would be a full ten years before she would marry the Rev. Claud Barkley; they would have a ministry for over thirty years in Yorktown, Virginia. Moving to Knoxville in 1995 to be near her daughter and closer to her son, she immediately became involved in Central Baptist Church of Bearden -- singing in the adult choir, helping to start the Good Life Singers, and working with the Bible Drill. Dot was classically trained in both piano and voice, but it was her singing for which she was noted - up until the last weeks of her life. Her strong diaphragm and powerful lungs ensured that when she wanted to be heard, she was! Dot survived a sarcoma cancer in 1994 with a determined spirit; she would not give up and was walking better than the therapists had thought. In 2005 she met and married Sam Combs and for a brief, but adventurous, 14 months they had a great time traveling to Colorado Springs to see his hometown and then on a Caribbean cruise. Her family is especially grateful to Shannondale for the community it provided and for the many individual caregivers who gave her not only loving attention, but brought her true joy. Special thanks to Kadaye Wongen, Gwen Gillespie, Kayla Webb, Shirley Quinn, Gail Ferguson, Jackie Jenkins, Janice Seaton, and Harriett Brown. Receiving friends Central Baptist Church Bearden, Wednesday, July 27 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. service at 6:00 p.m. Private interment in Virginia. In lieu of flowers gifts may be made to the Music Ministry of Central Baptist Church, Bearden or Gideon's International. Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.rosemortuary.com