Thelma Combs

Thelma Mildred Combs peacefully departed her earthly home on Saturday, January 10, 2026, while resting in the comfort of her home. She was born on December 1, 1944, to the late Sylvester Banks and Viola Brown Banks.

The youngest of four sisters, Thelma was raised in Lynchburg’s Seminary Hill neighborhood. She was a child of the Great Migration, as her parents left their home state of Georgia in search of greater opportunity farther north. After the untimely death of her mother while Thelma was still a toddler, she was raised by her father and her paternal grandmother, Melinda Banks Terrell.

Thelma attended Robert S. Payne Elementary School and graduated from the historic Dunbar High School. She spent most of her life in Lynchburg, where she built a home rooted in independence, care, and pride. As a single mother, she raised her daughter, Jennifer; tended lovingly to her flowers and yard; doted on her beloved dogs, Fudge and Butterball; and took great pride in her modest Rivermont home, which she purchased on her own.

She retired from the Central Virginia Training Center, where she was known for her hard work and the genuine care and compassion she showed to the patients she served. After her retirement, Thelma pursued and successfully earned her CNA certification, acing the exam with determination and confidence.

In 1974, Thelma married the late Dwayne L. Combs and lived for a time in his hometown of Toccoa, Georgia. Prior to moving to Georgia, she was employed at Lynchburg’s then-thriving General Electric plant. After the marriage ended in divorce, she returned to Lynchburg to be close to her family, where she continued a life devoted to those she loved.

Thelma was a devoted mother to her only child and a dutiful daughter and sister. She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Jennifer Viola Combs of Baltimore, Maryland; and her sisters, Linda Whitlock and Julia Mae Fore, both of Lynchburg. She was preceded in death by her brother, Nathaniel Brown of Toccoa, Georgia, and her sister, Lou Margaret Banks of Lynchburg. Lou Margaret’s sons, Anthony Beatty and Lawrence Beatty Jr. (Danielle) of Lynchburg, and her daughter, Lisa Waugh of Chesterfield, Virginia, were a great source of support and comfort to their Aunt Thelma, especially in her later years. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of South Lynchburg, where she served faithfully on the Usher Board alongside her dear sister Julia.

Thelma will be remembered for her quiet strength, unwavering faith, and the deep love she poured into her family and all who knew her. Her life stands as a testament to resilience, compassion, and grace, and her legacy lives on in all who were blessed to know her.

The family offers special thanks and heartfelt acknowledgment to her sister, Julia Mae Fore, and her niece, Deborah Jordan, for their unwavering support and care extended to her daughter during this difficult time. The family is also deeply grateful for the prayers, kindness, and support shown by so many.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory -Lynchburg on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.