Fredricka Elva (Chapman) Combs, 78

Fredricka Elva (Chapman) Combs, 78, passed away Saturday, April 29, 2006, at Heritage Place in Kalispell. She was born Sept. 20, 1927, in Columbia Falls, the daughter of Kyle and Susanna Elva Chapman.

She was the only girl in a family of seven boys. They nicknamed her "Freddie." She attended Deer Park School with her brothers, Buck, Dick, Delbert, Michael, Eddie, Ted and Steve.

Freddie met her husband, Cecil Combs, at the lumber mill he worked at in Hot Springs. They were married Aug. 15, 1944, at Hot Springs. They raised a family of seven children, one boy and six girls. As a family they enjoyed fishing at Kintla Lake in Glacier Park. She also enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting, reading and dancing. She was also a 30-year member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary.

Cecil was a law officer for 42 years. One of their favorite things to do together was driving long distances to go pick up prisoners. Freddie was very involved in her husband's life and enjoyed doing this kind of thing very much.

Her children say their parents always were very devoted to them and put them first in their lives. They loved their family, friends and the people they worked with. After Cecil died in 1976, Freddie surrounded herself with her children and grandchildren. Her children say, "She deserves a trophy for who she was."

The family would also like to thank Margaret and staff at Heritage Place for their tender care.

Freddie was preceded in death by her parents, Kyle Chapman and Susanna Elva Davis; her husband, Cecil Combs; her brother, Eddie Howell; her son, Douglas Combs; her daughter, Darlene Walter; and grandsons, Doug Walter and Dennis Walter.

She is survived by her five daughters, Sherry Jones of Kalispell, Faye Kerzman of Kalispell, and Carleen Hutchings of (Many Lakes) Kalispell, Cecilia Stap of Marion, and Diane Bowersox of Airway Heights, Wash.; her brother, Buck Chapman, and five stepbrothers, Ted Chapman, Steve Chapman, Richard Howell, Delbert Howell and Michael Howell. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Fredricka Combs will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the Fairview Chapel on Middle Road. Burial will be after services at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Freddie's family.