TITLE:  Robert Mason Osborne Combs

SOURCE: The Beaufort Gazette, July 19, 2001

SUBMITTED BY: The Beaufort Gazette

FORMATTED BY: Kim Grissom, July 2001

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Robert Mason Osborne Combs
Robert Mason Osborne Combs, 77, of Pineville, Ky., died Tuesday, July 
17, 2001, in Pineville Community Hospital. A funeral Mass will be at 
11 a.m. at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Pineville, with burial in 
Pineville Memorial Cemetery. Mr. Combs was born Oct. 28, 1923 in 
Pineville, a son of Dr. Mason and Marguerite Osborne Combs. He 
attended Pineville City Schools and graduated from Kentucky Military 
Institute in 1941. He attended the University of Kentucky in addition 
to the Harris School of Art in Nashville, Tenn. and the Ad-Art School 
in Pittsburgh, Pa. Upon completion of art school, he worked as an 
illustrator for Penn Art Studios in Pittsburgh, and was an apprentice 
to Saul Tepper at Carnegie Hall, New York City, N.Y. He also 
illustrated for L.W. Rousch Advertising Agency in Louisville, Ky. He 
was elected a member of the Society of Illustrators in new York City. 
He received a degree in pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh
and was employed at West Penn Hospital. After working for Parke-Davis 
Pharmaceuticals, he purchased FloCoe Drug Store in Pineville and 
adjacent to the drug store, he owned and operated Combs Art. These two 
establishments allowed him to combine his profession of pharmacy and 
his loved of art. Mr. Combs shared his love of art with children in 
Beaufort County schools when he visited his grandchildren here. He 
also had some art works on display in local galleries. He served in 
the U.S. Army Infantry Division, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., during World 
War II. He was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel and served as president 
of the first Combs Family Association and was named Outstanding Combs 
of the Year. He served as president of the Southeastern Kentucky 
Pharmaceutical Association and was named Outstanding Kentuckian in 
Pharmacy. Combs served as co-chairman of the Bell County Campaign for 
Gov. Bert Combs and was elected to the Kentucky Mountain Laurel 
Festival Hall of Fame. He had served as Pineville Rotary Club president
and received the Rotary Outstanding Leadership Award. He was an active 
member of St. Anthony Catholic Church. In addition to his parents, he 
was preceded in death by brothers, Floyd Clinton "Bo" Combs and George 
Bertram Combs. Surviving are his wife, Rosemary Noel Combs; three 
daughters, Mary Elizabeth Combs Cunningham of Beaufort, Martha Clare 
Combs Woolum and Ann Marguerite Combs of Pineville; three sons, John 
Mason Combs of Pineville, James Clinton Combs of Winston-Salem, N.C. 
and David Lawrence Combs of Georgetown, Ky.; and 12 grandchildren. 
Arnett & Steele Funeral Home Inc., Pineville, is in charge.
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