William Clayton Combs, 85, of Greenville, NH, formerly of Valley Lee, MD died September 2, 2007 at home after a long illness. Born in Valley Lee, MD on January 8, 1922 he was the son of the late Joseph Franklin and Margaret Lucille Redman Combs Sr. He was the husband of Mary Virginia Crump, whom he married at St. Gabriel’s Church in Washington, D.C. on July 13, 1945. He is survived by his wife of 62 years; his daughter, Nancy Lee Courage and husband David M. Courage; three grandchildren, Christopher and William Courage and Kelly Ann Clark; two great-grandsons, Colby and Jordan Clark. Mr. Combs is also survived by his sister, Loretta Marie Rule, of Leonardtown, MD. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert William Combs in 1992 and his brothers and sisters, Thomas Lester Combs, Joseph Earl Combs, Joseph Franklin Combs, Franklin E.Combs, John R. Combs, Louis M. Combs, Michael H. Combs, Paul Jenifer Combs, Margaret Cullison, Lucy Loretta Combs and Rose Celeste Combs. Mr. Combs attended Great Mills High School. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1937, where he joined the C.C. Camp as a heavy equipment operator. In 1939 he joined the U.S. Merchant Marines as an ordinary seaman. He sailed around the world and was on two ships that were torpedoed during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1943 as a boatswain. He then owned and operated an Auto Body Shop in Washington, D.C. He worked as an auto body repairman until his retirement in 1984. He then moved to Valley Lee, MD where he made his home until moving to Greenville, NH in 2005 to be near his daughter and family. His greatest passions in life were his family, fishing, crabbing and gardening. The family will receive friends on Friday, September. 7, 2007 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where prayers will be said at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, September, 8 2007 at 10:00 AM in Holy Face Catholic Church, Great Mills, MD with Fr. Joseph Sileo officiating. Interment will follow in the church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Brian T. Combs, David J. Combs, James M. Combs, Joseph M. Combs, Richard T. Combs and Stephen Todd Combs. Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Goldsborough, James Hansen and Earl Russell. Contributions may be made to the Second District Volunteer Fire Dept. and Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.