J. Bradley Combs

1971 - 2023

Surrounded by family and friends, JB passed away in Longmont, Colorado on April 21, 2023 after a brief illness. He was 52 years old. JB was born in Laramie, Wyoming on April 5, 1971 and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. He graduated from Natrona County High School and attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where he pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He was captain of the Alpine Snow Skiing Team. Because of nine months of continuous daily rain, he transferred to the University of Wyoming graduating with a degree in agricultural business.

He had an unquenchable love for extreme activities. From an early age he competed in three event water skiing at the regional and national level and competed in alpine ski racing. He was on the varsity NCHS alpine ski team when he was in eighth grade. He rode dirt bikes, raced cars, fought the 1988 Yellowstone fires, climbed Devil's Tower, climbed frozen waterfalls, and scaled many of Colorado's fourteeners. He was an avid and extreme downhill mountain biker in Boulder County, Colorado. He participated with two and four man teams in several 24 Hours of Moab bike races, doing one 24 Hour race by himself. He spent time coaching young waterskiers and snow skiers.

He spent several years as a location crew supervisor for Haliburton setting a world record casing cement job on a very deep oil well. He drove big rigs filled with volatile chemicals and supervised the placement of fencing along Colorado's highways and interstates. He built waterskis. He was a licensed real estate broker, general contractor, and landlord. He and Dianne, the love of his life, owned and managed real estate investment properties. The two of them restored two antique Glastron Carlson ski boats. JB was a great back yard mechanic.

JB was dedicated to his daughter Ashley. He was instrumental in getting pediatricians at Children's Hospital to change the way they treat cystic fibrosis patients, insisting that the children be as physically active as possible.

His life took a heartbreaking turn in August of 2020 when he suffered a broken neck following a water-slide accident at a Glastron boat convention in Minnesota, which left him completely paralyzed from the neck down. However, his joy of life, his "can do" attitude and his sense of humor were not diminished. He continued to run his many real estate endeavors using a joy stick under his chin to operate his wheel chair, phone and computer. He remained in touch with his many friends.

Accompanied by family and friends, he "rolled" Ashley down the aisle at her July 2022 wedding at Bow Lake in northwest Washington State. He is survived by his wife Dianne, his Daughter Ashley (Santiago Varas), his step children Brian and Amber Wright, his father Hank Combs and his mother Patricia Bostwick.

In May a memorial service was held for JB at the site of a mountain bike trail that he developed near Lyons, Colorado followed by a JB inspired BBQ and bonfire at his mountain home. He will be remembered for his wit, his intellect, his unquenchable curiosity, his "just go for it" attitude, and his never ending support for family and friends. He will be really missed by all those who had the great privilege to know him.