Stanton R. Combs

Stan Combs who was born January 17, 1947 to Carmi and Anette Combs in Enosburg Vermont, passed into the arms of the Lord on Sunday, May 19, 2024 of complications from pneumonia. He was a respected, hard working farm boy who made his mark on the world with his honesty, generosity, ingenuity, stick-with-it stubbornness, and humor. He was fond of saying, "gotta have humor". He worked hard every day of his life, except for the ones he spent fishing or "dunking worms'". After all, "when the wind blows from the south it blows the hook in the fish's mouth".

His first career was as a lineman for Green Mountain Power where he took pride in the variety of jobs he did, installing underground power lines and overhead construction of new lines. He worked with and trained so many of the younger guys coming up.  He always said he worked in the time when "poles were made of wood and linemen were made of steel".

He married Joyce LaFountain in 1968 and they had their son Randy.  Stan was a mechanic in his spare time and he also loved painting cars. His garage became a favorite hangout for his son Randy and "the gang". The boys will always remember helping Pa fix whatever was broken.

In his early career he met and fell in love with his second wife, Gwen Wheelock. Stan enjoyed "gifting" unexpected presents to everyone as well as building and inventing. Painting was one of his passions, and he proudly claimed "Classic Tractor Fever". He owned a collection of old tractors and enjoyed restoring them over the years. One of his biggest joys was sharing the tractors with his grandchildren, great-grands, brothers and friends. A gun collector of old and new firearms, he hunted from the time his father taught him to shoot as a young boy to his later years.  Repairing guns and reloading ammo gave him satisfaction. He loved giving new life to old things and turning junk into treasure. If he could take an old tractor light and make it work again or turn an old dump rake into a bird feeder holder he was proud, and gifted his creations to everyone.

After thirty years as a lineman he changed paths and started his own underground utility business. Priding himself on being the best underground fault locator, he loved the challenge and he always left the landscape exactly as he found it with no sign that he had been there.

The people who will be missing him the most are his wife Gwen, and his children Randy (Andrea), Mary Spence (Darcy), Kenneth Wheelock (Heather); The grandchildren Micheal Lipka (Becky), Rebecca Davis (Jerry), Sierra Spence, Jessica and Danielle Combs "the twins", and Sam, Emily and Sofia Wheelock; The great-grands Charles and Nova Davis and Jeffery and Wyatt Lipka.  He also leaves his siblings; Stuart (Karen), Danny (Diane), Lesley, Margaret Lemieux, and Susan Wheel (Mike), sisters-in-law Jane and Bonnie

Combs and his "special" niece and nephew Janelle and Jonathan Wheel. Stan also leaves many relatives cousins, nieces, nephews, neighbors and other extended family who will grieve his passing.  He was predeceased by his parents, stepson Mark, brothers Steve and Wesley, his sister Marlene, and his nephew Timmy Combs.

Per Stan's wishes there will be no public services. Contributions in his memory may be made to Franklin County Home Health, the Humane Society, or just extend a hand and help someone when they're down or give a gift "just because you can".

Our hearts are broken at our loss and he has had a profound effect on so many lives.   We want to extend a deep appreciation for all the doctors, nurses, and therapists who have touched this family over the past few years while caring for Stan. We would like to specifically thank Wendy and Susan at Cobblestone, the doctors and nurses at Northwestern Medical Center Critical Care, and Renee and Dr. Dawson at Thomas Chittenden Health Center