Gary Lee Coombs, age 64, a resident of Fort Scott, died Thursday, August 2nd at his home. He was born November 18, 1947, in Fort Scott and raised by his parents, Bill Hawkins and Grace Potorff Hawkins. Gary married Sharon Auxier on December 22, 1998, at Fort Scott. She preceded him in death on August 21, 2009. Gary was a welder and had been employed by Klein Tool in Moran, Kansas, for several years. He had served with the United States Army during the Vietnam War and later served with the Kansas Army National Guard from 1972 to 1985. He enjoyed fishing and woodworking as well as visiting with his many family and friends.

Survivors include a son, Marc Coombs and wife, Emily, Rogers, Arkansas; a daughter, Bridget Coombs, of Fort Scott; a step-son, David Auxier and wife, Michelle, Overland Park, Kansas; two step-daughters, Annette Butler and husband, Shaun, Woonsocket, Rhode Island and Lisa Watkins and husband, Bill, Fort Scott. Also surviving are his mother, Grace Hill, Fort Scott, four brothers, Hugh Hawkins, Kansas City, Missouri, Mike Hawkins and wife, Wanda, Kansas City, Kansas, Paul Hawkins and wife, Connie, Deerfield, Missouri, and Larry Coombs and wife, Sherry, Batesville, Arkansas; a sister, Sue Reasoner and husband, Randy, Fort Scott; a sister-in-law, Toni Antonacci, Kansas City, Kansas; eleven grandchildren and his beloved cat, Peko. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his father, Bill Hawkins, a brother, Jerry Coombs and a sister, Carol Hull.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 7th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery where military honors will be provided by the Olson Frary Burkhart Post #1165 Veterans of Foreign Wars. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Monday, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Gary Coombs Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.