Colleen Combest Long

Graveside Services at the Fort Cobb Cemetery, Fort Cobb, OK on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Kevin Simpson officiating under the direction of Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Temple, OK. Memorial Donations can be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 488, Temple, OK 73572.

Colleen Joyce Combest Long was born to Elmer Combest and Lena Crumpler Combest on February 22, 1928, south of Carnegie, OK, as the eighth child in a family of eleven children. Her family suffered through the Great Depression. She had many stories to tell about the hard times this large family had, but there were plenty of stories of the good times that they shared. Colleen departed this life on November 15, 2020 in Temple, OK.

Colleen attended Carnegie Schools. She married Argle Dirickson in 1947, and they had two daughters, Carolyn and Linda. They were a farm family raising crops and cattle north of Carnegie and in the Oney Community. Colleen worked on the farm and raised her two girls. Argle died in 1961.

Colleen later married Elmer Long in 1967. They lived in Bend, OR, for a few years, then wanting to be closer to family they made a move to Temple, OK where they both lived out the rest of their lives.

Elmer and Colleen loved the flea market life. They set up at Canton, TX and Bowie, TX, Trade Days for many years making many friends along the way. Elmer passed away in 1997.

In her last few years Colleen has enjoyed going to the Senior Citizens Center to drink coffee with her friends every day. She enjoyed Diet Coke with lime added from Sonic, hazelnut lattes from Starbucks and Payday candy bars. Looking at pictures of family was a favorite thing. She spent all the time outside that she could. She enjoyed yardwork of all types and she collected all kinds of things and junk. She also loved garage sales and quilts. She loved Jesus and attending church at Temple First Baptist.

Colleen cherished her family and she will be deeply missed by all of them. She made a difference! These are her children: Carolyn and Ernest Copus of Randlett, OK, Linda Viles of Eugene, OR, Pam and Kim Hooper of Byers, TX, Jean Trout of Chickasha, OK, Randy Long of Anadarko, OK; her grandchildren are Melanie Viles of Eugene, OR, Jessica and Mitch Talbot of Portland, OR, Travis and Jenny Copus of Malaysia, Justin and Kerri Copus of Pratt, KS, Adam and Kimberly Copus of New Orleans, LA, Melanie McIntyre of Byers, Aaron and Trista Hooper of Byers, Glen Smith, Melissa Smith, Johnette Shonk and Lynnette Peluso; 2 sisters, Maxine Cadell of Apache, OK and Betty Davis of Fort Cobb, OK; 21 great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; 2 sons-in-law, Dave Viles and Jerry Trout; 5 brothers, Wyatt, Charles, Bill, Lloyd and Bob; and 3 sisters, Alice Sells Skinner, Noreen Rowe and Violet Combest.