Ilene Marie Combs, 84, of Burwell, passed away quietly at home surrounded by family after a battle with cancer.
Ilene Combs was born October 19, 1937 in Sargent, Nebraska to Joseph Jake and Mary Doris (Cech) Bower. She attended elementary school at School District #56 and graduated from Burwell High School in 1954.
Ilene taught school for one year and then married Evert Combs in June 1955. They moved to Wood Lake, Nebraska to work on a ranch, then returned to Burwell where they farmed and raised cattle. To this union, they had one daughter Linda (Punk), and two sons Steve and Stace.
Ilene worked in the Burwell community for several businesses which included Burwell Bowling Alley, The Curler Factory, Jack & Jill grocery store, House of Fashion, Ruthie’s Variety and Mr. J’s grocery store.
Ilene was an accomplished seamstress and loved sewing clothes for her family and friends. Her favorite pastimes were reading western books, music, dancing, and putting together puzzles. She loved going to the Comstock Windmill Festival, watching Evert fish in the park, the occasional trip to Picks Town Casino and often attended her children and grandchildren’s school programs and sporting activities.
Survivors include, daughter Linda “Punk”(George) Buhlke of Burwell, son Steve (Tam) Combs of Marianna, FL, son Stace (Trish) Combs of North Platte, NE; 8 grandchildren, Justin (Elizabeth) Buhlke, Brandon (Laurie) Buhlke, Felicia, Trenton, Jaimen (Tenaj) Combs, Chandler, Nicholas and Mollie Combs; 3 great grandchildren, Adeline, Greyson and Braelyn, sister Jean and husband Ed Bruha of Ord, sister in-law Helen Bower of Burwell along with a host of nieces and nephews. Ilene was preceded in death by husband Evert, parents and two brothers Bob and Bernard.
A private memorial and celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name can be made to “4 the Cure” in Burwell.