John Edgar Combs

John Edgar Combs, known equally as Jack Combs, died on May 20, 2025, at the age of 96 in Seattle, WA. John was born on Oct. 27, 1928, to Mary Ellen McKenzie Combs and Edgar Baker Combs in Akron, Ohio, and raised primarily in North Canton. He graduated from North Canton High School, studied at Miami University in Ohio, and graduated from The Ohio State University with a BS of Mechanical Engineering. While at OSU, he met Bernice “Berny” Davis in an art class taught by a young teaching assistant named Roy Lichtenstein. Jack and Berny married on Aug. 9, 1952, in Columbus Ohio; Berny died in Port Clinton, Ohio, in 2011.

As a child, John had a fascination for airplanes, and so he devoted his career to aerospace. As just an example, he designed control systems on fighter jets for North American Aviation before moving to Avon Lake, Ohio, and spending the bulk of his career as an engineer at NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland.

Jack also had a lifelong passion for sailing and the sea, and his kids joke that his sailboat was a fourth sibling — most likely the favorite one. Jack and Berny sailed weekends in western Lake Erie, taking a month each summer to take the boat up the rivers and lakes to points in the north end of Lake Huron, alternating between the American and Canadian sides. They also sailed the boat from Port Clinton, Ohio, to Port Charlotte, FL, navigating the Great Lakes, the Hudson River, the Atlantic Ocean, Lake Okeechobee, and the Gulf of Mexico. They lived in Port Charlotte for a decade before returning back to Port Clinton, where they considered home.

In addition to sailing, Jack and Berny were captivated by the wilds of Alaska. After modifying a van to be a self-contained camper they made three journeys to Alaska and Canada’s NW Territories, twice from Ohio and once from Florida. They did a fourth trip to NE Canada.

Embracing his McKenzie side, John loved all things Scottish, including the bagpipes and attending Scottish festivals and Highland games. He enjoyed woodworking, metal working, and projects of all sorts. He was a member of MENSA, always pursuing knowledge and sharing what he learned with others. He was particularly a student of weather. He was a member of and teacher for the United States Power Squadrons in Port Clinton, Port Charlotte, and Seattle. His specialty classes were weather and navigation, earning him a teacher of the year honor. He was a Mason based in the Vandalia, Ohio, lodge. He was a member of the Moose Lodge in Port Clinton, and the Elks Lodges in Punta Gorda, FL, Port Clinton, and Ballard (Seattle). As they moved around the country, Jack and Berny were members at Catawba Island Club, The Put-in-Bay Yacht Club, and the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, as well as various Presbyterian and Methodist congregations — most recently at Firelands Presbyterian Church in Port Clinton. Jack and Berny made a point to join in the bellringing at Christmas time to raise money for the Salvation Army.

John is survived by his three children David (Lauren) Combs, James (Nancy) Combs, and Jennifer (Scott) Oxley. He also leaves behind his two grandsons, three bonus granddaughters and their children, and beloved extended family members and friends. He was predeceased by his only sister Ann Seeley Cole.

Funeral services will be held at Firelands Presbyterian Church, 2626 E. Harbor Road, Port Clinton, Ohio, on Tuesday, June 3, at 1 p.m. with visitation at noon. The service will be live-streamed on Facebook for those unable to attend. He will be buried privately at Sunset Hills Burial Park in Canton. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Salvation Army, or the charity of your choice.

The sun is over the yardarm; cheers to you!