Obituary For Ronald “Ron” Augustus Coombs
We will call this announcement “Well, this is terrible news … ” (insert Ron’s voice and tone here). To clarify, the news is only terrible to us.
It is with such a mixture of feelings that we let you know Ron Coombs (a.k.a. Dad, Fadder, GPa, Grandfadder, and Grampa), resident of Grande Prairie, AB, formerly of Bell Island, NL, left us on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at the age of 79 years.
He passed away ever so peacefully and unexpectedly during his 13 day stay at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital. He had a rotation of people who loved him by his side 24/7 – praying, joking, reminiscing, playing hymns, and card games. We are so thankful he lived his life to the fullest right up until four weeks ago when it was first discovered what his body had been dealing with for likely a long time. What a blessing he did not know and he could just “carry on as if normal” with his life.
Ron’s story is one of redemption and sanctification – and there was a lot of sanctification required for this character! Ron knew where he was going and he was unwavering in his faith once he found it. This faith was a great source of peace for him right up until he passed.
Ron lived his life free of the chains of what others thought of him – either you “got” him and loved him, or you were offended by him, and he didn’t really seem to care which camp you were in. He was a very skilled tradesman who used his gifts and talents to help and serve others. The mark of his blood, sweat, tears, sarcasm, jokes (inappropriate or otherwise), and a genuine love of Jesus, was left in the many places he travelled and with the people he met.
He has left a huge hole and he will be dearly missed by his wife Sheila Coombs (nee Nowlan); children: Marlene (Don) Coombs Roberts, Duane Coombs, Kevin (Trish) Coombs, and Rhonda (Henryk) Coombs Surowaniec; grandchildren: Sean Roberts, Sheena (Randy) Mitchell (nee Roberts), Alexandra Coombs, Annelise Coombs, Jeffrey (Stacy) Surowaniec, Jacob Surowaniec, Mathias Surowaniec, Hannah Surowaniec, Suzanne Coombs, and Liam Fris; great-grandchildren: Andreya Rose, Logan Mitchell, and Isabelle Surowaniec; as well as sister Marilyn Greeley.
He was predeceased by his parents Augustus Coombs and Emily Bickford Coombs; siblings: Jean Coombs Jenkins, Cyril Coombs, and Bernice Coombs Anstey; as well as great-grandson Dominique Roberts.
The family is so grateful for the wonderful care he received from the Staff on Unit 23 of the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital, Dr. Heugh, Dr. Barreth and the Palliative Care Nurse, Tanya. We are also so very thankful for those who have reached out through words of encouragement, prayer, acts of kindness, and through sharing stories of our beloved Ron.
For those interested in attending the funeral, feel free to dress up like you remember Ron – he would love it!
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 5:00pm, at Oliver’s Funeral Home in Grande Prairie (10005 107 Ave.).
A Livestream of the service will be accessible 15 minutes prior to the service on Ron’s obituary on Oliver’s Funeral Home website.
Memorial Donations may be made to the Pregnancy Care Centre Grande Prairie (P.O. Box 124, Stn Main, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 3A1), or to Youth with a Mission St. Marc, Haiti (P.O. Box 236, Akron, PA, 17501 (www.ywamstmarchaiti.org/donations/)), or to a charity of one’s choice.
Live Stream
Ron Coombs Service
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ronald Ron Augustus Coombs October 18 1942 June 11 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Grande-Prairie, Province: Alberta