Brian Gregory Combs

Greg (Brian Gregory) Combs grew up in a family of 4 children, the others being 9, 10, and 11 years older than he. We always kidded that he had 5 parents, but what he actually had was 2 parents and 3 early infant stimulation assistants. The family was active, spending a lot of time camping, canoeing, hiking, and skiing. We used to "jeep" in our convertible VW bug, 3 teenagers in the back seat and Greg either in the luggage compartment behind the seat or on someone's lap. Greg had a climbing tower with swing in the back yard, and several playmates on the same block. He loved his bike and, even more, his dog, Maggie.
His early development was slower than normal due to Down Syndrome, but not so much that he was unable to function well in normal pre-school, although with children younger than himself. However, by the time he was school age, he needed special education. His slowest area was his speech, for which he received speech therapy for many years. He went to private schools for developmentally disabled kids until the courts forced the public schools to educate kids with developmental disabilities. When he was approximately 12, he was one of the first 5 "DD" kids to enter the Denver Public Schools, and, despite the fact that the courts had to force the Denver schools to educate kids like Greg, they did a really good job setting up a valuable program. By the time Greg finished school at age 21, he had about 3 years of work experience under his belt in various jobs through their special ed job training. He ended up "graduating" (with an attendance certificate) from the same high school his older siblings attended, where the last 4-5 years of special ed and job training were located. This was very special to him and also to his family.
Greg was busy with various additional activities, in particular, "Saturday Club", a program in Denver that offered activities and socialization opportunities to developmentally disabled. For years he attended a Sunday school class for "DD" folks at a nearby sister church. He also participated regularly with Special Olympics, particularly in swimming and skiing. He was a very good downhill skier and was on the International Special Olympics demonstration team that went to the Calgary Olympics in 1988. He also cross-country skied with the family.
He worked at a number of jobs, most janitorial, and did several jobs for the federal government at the finance center at the old Lowry Air Force Base and later at the Commissary (before all of the buildings were vacated). He always had job coaching that assisted with training and supervision, usually 1 hour per week. Later he worked for a drug store chain as a stocker, and finally started at VA hospital in food services. His job changes were usually due to the office or business closing. He worked at VA for 16 years and retired at age 57 in 2018.
Greg has been friendly and outgoing all his life and pretty enthusiastic to try anything. My mother always said he never met a stranger. His most common expression when greeting people was, "Haven't seen you in a looong time." He always assumed everyone was a friend. Shopping was a social opportunity for him. He loved to play his CD's and tapes on his "boom box" and had several shelves of books to read with his favorites being Star Wars books.
Through the years Greg lived in varied community situations, first in group homes, then in supervised apartments with roommates, and in his own condo (for about 14 years). During his most productive years, he was able to get to work independently, riding his bike when he was young, using the bus later.
He shopped for himself, and fixed his own meals and took his own meds (he was only on 2-3 meds at the time), and cared for his one-bedroom condo and cat himself. He had a community service that visited a couple of times a week to help with meal planning, check that his apartment was clean, coach with cooking/cleaning as needed. He wrote his own checks when his bills came in (rent, electricity, phone). My mother helped him balance his checkbook, and he rarely used more money than he brought home. He rode the bus to and from work, as well as to some of his weekend activities. He could learn a bus route in just 2-3 practices.
Greg spent most Sundays at church and afterward at our parents' condo, so when they died in 2012 and 2014, it was a big piece gone from his life. Two years later our brother died from esophageal cancer and that was also a blow.
When he began having health issues (around age 40), the decision was made by my parents to seek a higher level of supervision and he went to a host home for about 2 years. While living there, he was enrolled in a day program one day a week which he hugely enjoyed. He worked Tues through Sat, 4 to 5 -hour shifts. When the "SLS host home program" was cut by the state around 2009, he was able to private pay for a supervised apartment program, where he either had his own apartment or shared apartments for the next 10 years. Near the end of this time, it was clear that he was aging more rapidly than expected and needed more assistance. He retired in 2018.
In May of 2019 we were notified that his name had come up to the top of the wait list for a " DD comprehensive waiver" spot with state programs for long term care of the developmentally disabled, and that he would be offered a spot in July. We initiated his Medicaid application in July, so that he could accept the spot. Soon after, we found out about Cheyenne Village in Colorado Springs who offer host home opportunities under the "dd waiver". He was able to move to a host home starting in October 2019 and has been wonderfully served by this type of living situation, living in a home and sharing life with a family.
Greg lived in a series of 3 host homes over the following 6 years, going to the Goodwill Day program called "Possibilities" 5 days a week where he made friends and kept busy during the weekdays. His host home care givers have been really wonderful about providing him with regular church activities, holiday celebrations, and several vacation opportunities, which he has enjoyed tremendously. These years, however, have also seen the advancement of his early aging to the point of "fragility" and continuing mental challenges. This year, 2025, he was hospitalized 3 times for various ailments, and the last one was due to an injury that he was unable to overcome. He died at Pikes Peak Hospice on Oct 23, his family at his side.
As his family, we thank Jesus for the His faithfulness in giving our brother a wonderful life. He has had challenges, but has also had great opportunities and wonderful friends, relatives, and care givers. He was a man who loved his family, his colleagues, his friends, and his pets and had a smile for everyone.
"No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light,
But you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory." Isaiah 60: 19