Michael Earl Lacombe

On December 17th 2015 Mike LaCombe passed away surrounded by family and friends after a long battle with cancer. Mike was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was born in Flint, Michigan on March 9th, 1938 to Eugene Garfield LaCombe and Marguerite Louise Mier. Mike grew up working on his cousin’s dairy farm and at his parent’s hardware store. After graduating high school he joined the Navy reserve as a corpsman. While studying at Ferris State College he met his future bride, Charlene Milbourne. After graduating they married on November 7th 1959. From 1960 thru 1969 they brought five children into the world; Mark, Scott, Matt, Kathy and Kevin. Sadly, Scott passed away as an infant.

During his 30 years in the Navy Mike and his family lived in many places, from Rhode Island to Maryland to North Carolina to Texas to Illinois to Washington State to Hawaii and back to Washington where he retired with a side trip to Michigan while Mike was serving in Vietnam.

While stationed at Shepard Airforce Base in Wichita Falls, Texas Mike was one of an original class of a new idea in the Navy called a Physician’s Assistant commonly referred to as a P.A. Although the time in Texas was short Mike and his family made the most of it. Mike bought a motorhome, a Winnebago, and would go camping most weekends up in Oklahoma and watch the buffalo and longhorn.

After graduating, Mike and his family moved to Great Lakes, Illinois. Although he was busy with the Navy he always had time for his kids. He took his son Mark back to Michigan and the family farm to hunt in November. He became a scoutmaster for his sons Mark and Matt and began this crazy thing called Ham Radio with Mark and later with Matt. He always made time to play football in the back yard with not only his kids but all the neighborhood kids.

Mikes next duty station landed him in the Pacific Northwest and the city of Bremerton, Washington. The other Washington. It was here that he discovered the out of doors. Mike and his family hiked all over the Olympics, parts of Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens before and after it blew its top. They made many trips to the coast to swim in the icy waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is also here that Mike and Mark sharpened their Ham Radio skill and became highly involved in the Amateur Radio family. This is also where Mike developed his love for fishing whether it was saltwater, freshwater or his latest endeavor, fly fishing.

Mike had many hobbies over the years and whatever hobby it was he went all in. Whatever club or organization he joined he eventually ended up becoming a major contributor to some degree. After a backpacking trip with his son Matt that resulted in a broken foot he decided it was time to start camping with a trailer. Over the years he had many types of trailers from a tent camper to a motorhome. He joined He even built his own teardrop trailer to take on his fly fishing trips. Soon after retiring Mike took up golf at Village Greens and helped run the Men’s League for many years. He played many rounds with his kids and grandkids. Mike also loved to fish. Along the way he bought and sold many types of boats whether they be for saltwater or fresh water he loved fishing but what he loved most about fishing was taking his grandkids and seeing the sheer delight on their faces as they reeled in a fish. But the hobby that has lasted the longest was his involvement in Amateur Radio. Mike went on to achieve the highest license rank in amateur radio know as Extra Class Radio Amateur.

Mike was no stranger to cancer. He survived prostate and kidney cancer many years earlier. After his last diagnosis he sought support at his church only to find no group existed. That did not slow him down, he decided to form one and three years later that group still exist. Through his selflessness and his goodwill he has been able to help countless people deal and heal with cancer. He was able to give people a reason to keep going and keep fighting even when he couldn’t be there.

Mike's faith has never wavered. He has endured the hardships of losing his father at an early age, losing a child as an infant. Being away from his family while protecting our country during a very unpopular war. Mike’s faith was tested time and again but he never wavered. He was diagnosed with cancer twice first his prostate then a kidney. Again his faith was tested but he never wavered. Three years ago he was dealt a double blow, two types of cancer. He could have jumped ship and who would have blamed him. How much is one person supposed to take? But his faith never wavered. It only grew stronger. The weaker his body got the stronger his spirit got and the deeper his faith became.