Cristy Lynn (Parker) Combest

Cristy Lynn Parker Combest, 73, of Longview Texas, entered her Eternal Home on Friday, July 26, 2024. She is proceeded in death by her dad, GL Parker; mom, Johnnie McGilvray; step-dad, James McGilvray; husband, Travis Combest; and eldest son, Joshua Combest. She is survived by her brother, Steve Parker; two sisters, Kathy (Andy) Parker and Jan (Billy) Harrington; nine children, April (Bryan) Bailey; Rachel (Scott) Campbell; Cassandra Combest; James (Jennifer) Combest; Rebecca (Nosa) Edokpayi, John (Emily) Combest, Joseph (Jen) Combest, Elizabeth (Zac) Rusaw, and Jason Combest; a daughter-in-law, Aleta Combest; and twenty four grandchildren.

Cristy was born to GL and Johnnie Parker on November 7, 1950, in Farmersville, Texas. Cristy met her husband, Travis in high school, on the school bus a few days before school dismissed for the summer. No doubt they might have met sooner, as Travis was quite social; but Cristy was known to always have her nose in a book. Not too many months later, Travis announced: "I am going to marry you." Travis and Cristy did get married on August 6, 1972, and have ten children. The Combest Kids lovingly speak of their mom as a Proverbs 31 lady. She followed her husband to ministries in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Germany, Indiana, and finally, Longview. In each location, save the last two, Travis and Cristy served churches to our American military. All the way to the last, Cristy is known to tear up when speaking of our military families. She loved our servicemen and women.

While Cristy's strength of spirit put her on the high school debate team and her higher education as a dental assistant, she willingly put aside a public career to earn her badges in the daily grind of encouraging her husband in the Lord's work and raising a houseful of active children. Cristy also loved people. Her influence in lives span the globe; coming not from behind a podium, but from personal conversations in a church pew, around a table, or over the phone. Cristy unashamedly was her husband's helpmeet: his friend, lover, caregiver, and mother of his children. In their beginning years, Travis called her Princess. That princess grew to be a Queen.

Cristy is known to share her salvation testimony with many. She writes: "Many years ago, I struggled greatly with my ability to become acceptable to God. I was raised in church and I believed in God, but I knew my own heart, and knew that I was not righteous enough for God to accept me. While attending church with a friend, I learned what I needed to do. But amazingly, after learning what I was missing, I almost turned my back on truth, because of the fear of "what people would think or say." It took several more weeks of knowing the truth before my fear of God's judgment became greater than my fear of man. Finally, I was willing to act upon the truth I had learned and make it public. God has not failed me."

A Life Celebration® funeral service for Cristy Combest, will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Emmanuel Baptist Church. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday, August 2, 2024, at The Cammack Family Welch Funeral Home. An additional time of visitation will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Emmanuel Baptist Church.