The Life of JOAN YVONNE SMITH MCCOMBS MILLER
Joan “Jody” McCombs-Miller, age 86, passed away Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, IA.
There will be a memorial service at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, September 17, 2016 at First United Methodist Church, 1001 Pleasant St., Des Moines, IA 50309, with visitation for one hour prior to the service. Burial of cremated remains will take place at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery at a later date.
Jody was born May 31, 1930 to Fred Norton Smith and Grace Marjorie Hookom Smith in Mt. Pleasant, IA. She began her education at Newton High School and graduated from Roosevelt High School. She attended the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and Drake University. Jody lived many places in her lifetime, including Ames, IA, Sparta, WI, Petersburg, VA, Chicago, IL, Madrid, IA, Urbandale, IA, and finally, Des Moines, IA. She also held a variety of jobs in her working years including Bell Telephone Operator, Office Secretary at Iowa State University, Des Moines Public Schools Media Specialist, and Principal Financial Group Pension Administrator and Meeting Planner. She retired in 1991.
Jody enjoyed scrapbooking, crafting, and knitting and would donate her creations to Prayer Shawl Ministry. She also liked camping, reading, and playing bridge and traveled extensively all over the world. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, P.E.O. Chapter GX, Wallace Questers, P. Buckley Moss Society, Red Hat Society, Iowa Travel Trailer Club, United Singles, and was an active Republican Party worker. She also worked on various church committees during her lifetime.
She is survived by her daughter, Terry Whitney (Brent); son, David McCombs (Pat); grandsons, Nathan (Sabrina) and Aaron McCombs, Russell and Greg Whitney; and great-grandchildren, Aiden, Presley, and Aubrey McCombs. Jody was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Grace Smith; both her husbands, Hugh McCombs and Jonas Miller; and her sister, Janet Fackler.
Memorial contributions are suggested to First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, Iowa Public Broadcasting Network, Iowa Arboretum, or P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund.
There will be a memorial service at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, September 17, 2016 at First United Methodist Church, 1001 Pleasant St., Des Moines, IA 50309, with visitation for one hour prior to the service. Burial of cremated remains will take place at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery at a later date.
Jody was born May 31, 1930 to Fred Norton Smith and Grace Marjorie Hookom Smith in Mt. Pleasant, IA. She began her education at Newton High School and graduated from Roosevelt High School. She attended the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and Drake University. Jody lived many places in her lifetime, including Ames, IA, Sparta, WI, Petersburg, VA, Chicago, IL, Madrid, IA, Urbandale, IA, and finally, Des Moines, IA. She also held a variety of jobs in her working years including Bell Telephone Operator, Office Secretary at Iowa State University, Des Moines Public Schools Media Specialist, and Principal Financial Group Pension Administrator and Meeting Planner. She retired in 1991.
Jody enjoyed scrapbooking, crafting, and knitting and would donate her creations to Prayer Shawl Ministry. She also liked camping, reading, and playing bridge and traveled extensively all over the world. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, P.E.O. Chapter GX, Wallace Questers, P. Buckley Moss Society, Red Hat Society, Iowa Travel Trailer Club, United Singles, and was an active Republican Party worker. She also worked on various church committees during her lifetime.
She is survived by her daughter, Terry Whitney (Brent); son, David McCombs (Pat); grandsons, Nathan (Sabrina) and Aaron McCombs, Russell and Greg Whitney; and great-grandchildren, Aiden, Presley, and Aubrey McCombs. Jody was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Grace Smith; both her husbands, Hugh McCombs and Jonas Miller; and her sister, Janet Fackler.
Memorial contributions are suggested to First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, Iowa Public Broadcasting Network, Iowa Arboretum, or P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund.