Lelah Mae Combs Todd, daughter of R.H. “Bob” and Ettie Pierce Combs, was born Dec. 20, 1913, at Texanna, Okla., and entered into perfect peace on March 24, 2005, at the age of 91.
Lelah was a lifelong resident of the Union Flat Community where she and her husband, Russell, owned and operated a farm for 30 years before purchasing the County General Store from her mother. She taught school at Union Hill for two years and two years at Union Flat in a one-room school with grades one through 8. Lelah was a Sunday School teacher for most of 40 years.
On Oct. 1, 1927, Lelah accepted Christ as her personal savior and joined the Union Flat Church where she was a faithful member and was a devoted deacon’s wife.
On Nov. 11, 1932, Lelah and Russell Todd were united in marriage at Forsyth, and to this union four children were born.
Survivors include three daughters, Margaret Herd, Ava, Martha Sue and husband, Wondy Cornett, of Houston, Texas, and Charlotte Roberts, Branson; her daughter-in-law, Susan Todd, of Bradleyville; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Fern Hodges, Kansas City area, and Betty Maggard, of Bradleyville; one brother, Bobby Combs, of Bradleyville; and a host of relatives and friends.
Lelah was preceded in death by her husband, Russell, on June 7, 1987; her son, Darrell Todd, on Jan. 21, 2005; one son-in-law, Billy Herd; one granddaughter, Kimberly Bird; and one step-grandson, Justin Wyman; one sister, Vina Johnson, and two brothers, Thurman and Eudell.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the White River Association Building, Taneyville, with the Revs. R.E. Helsley, Bill Austin, Jack Clemans and Jeff Marsh officiating. Interment was in Patterson Cemetery, Bradleyville, under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home, Branson.
