James McCombe Obituary

McCombe
JAMES WILLIAM MCCOMBE
February 9, 1969 December 22, 2020
James William McCombe, 51, of Colorado Springs, died unexpectedly on December 22, 2020. He was born on February 9, 1969, to Judy (Clements) and Thomas McCombe III in Lakewood, Colorado. A proud Colorado native, James was an accomplished fisherman, enjoying Rampart reservoir during a warm summer afternoon or a blistering cold morning during winter. He particularly loved ice fishing and often caught trophy-sized trout at nearby Antero and 11-Mile reservoirs. He also demonstrated mastery of the sport of bowling, twice producing a perfect 300 game.
James, a 1987 graduate of Ellicott High School, began wrestling at a young age and enjoyed wrestling through high school. His father was often his wrestling coach, which helped solidify a lasting bond between them. They also shared a strong passion for fishing.
After completing high school, James held many jobs throughout Colorado Springs. He has been employed by The Clay Pen, Lovelace Family Limited, and Maharishi Ayurveda. For 15 years, he fueled airplanes on the flight line at Peterson Air Force Base, a position he held with much pride. James and his high school sweetheart Connie (Mateyka) McCombe were married for 27 years. He is survived by his two children, Daytona, and Ryker, his mother Judy McCombe-Gandolf and stepfather Richard Gandolf; brother Thomas McCombe IV and wife Tanda, sister Cindy McCombe, uncle Phil Clements, aunts Mary-Jane and husband Dave Hinkins and Marjorie and husband Paul Stafford, cousins Laura (Cheryl Jennings) Mock, Wendy and husband Todd Johnson, Arianna and Nathanial (Elli) Starbuck, and nieces and nephews Thomas Clay and Tabitha McCombe, Jillian and Westley Akers, Hailey (Justin) Rosa-Enderle, and Jason Price. James is also survived by his former in-laws, Phyllis and Ed Mateyka, and former sister-in-law Kay and husband Elton Price.
James was preceded in death by his father, Thomas McCombe III, his grandfather William Clements, step-grandfather Ray Heins, grandmother Ethel (Clements) Heins, and grandparents Elsie and Thomas McCombe, Jr.
A lover of the outdoors, James enjoyed riding mountain bikes throughout the foothills of El Paso County. He was a big fan of NASCAR and diligently followed the Earnhardts, enjoyed seeing the Broncos and the Avalanche, and could never turn down a good video game. James enjoyed nature shows and grew beautiful plants. We are heartbroken, and James's memory and legacy will remain with us forever.
A celebration of James's life will commence when larger gatherings are occurring. We are following his wish for cremation.
The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions toward a memorial bench placed in a location that James enjoyed. To donate, please send a check, money order, or cashier's check to Cindy McCombe, P.O. Box 51381, Colorado Springs, CO 80949.