Estelle Elizabeth “Libby” Branch

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Friday, 25 October 2013 13:24

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Former Sitkan Estelle Elizabeth “Libby” Branch passed away on Oct. 17, 2013, in Port Angeles, Wash., her husband Bill Branch and her daughter Sharon by her side. She was 82.
A celebration of life will be held 10 a.m. Nov. 2 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 205 Black Diamond Road, Port Angeles, Wash. A graveside service will be 1 p.m. at Mount Angeles Memorial Park, 45 S. Monroe Road.
Libby was born April 7, 1931, in Tipton, Tenn., the daughter of Virginia E. and John D. Combes. She graduated from Memphis Technical High School in Memphis in 1950.
Estelle Elizabeth Combes Branch was better known to her close friends as Libby, and her grandfather as “sweet cake.” To her classmates she was “Honey Combes” and to her husband shed was “My Honey.”
She met the joy of her life, Bill Branch, when she was in the seventh grade at Humes High School in Memphis. They agreed at that meeting that they would get married as soon as they finished high school. On June 11, 1950, the year Libby graduated from high school, they were married.
Bill joined the Air Force in 1953 and they served their country for 20 years, living in Ohio, Tennessee, South Dakota, Japan and Alaska. In 1973, Bill retired from the Air Force and they moved to Arkansas to pastor Monroe Baptist Church in Monroe while her husband was attending Mid America Baptist Seminary.
Upon his graduation from seminary they moved to Alaska where Bill was pastor of churches in Sitka and Kenai. They lived in Sitka from 1976 to 1987, and from 2000 to 2003, when they retired to Sequim, Wash.
During her high school years, Libby worked for Goldsmith Department Store in Memphis, as a seamstress, model and sales clerk.  After she married Bill she worked on occasion in various department stores as sales clerk and started her own business on two different occasions as a child-care provider, and a seamstress to help supplement their income.
After the children came along, she was mainly a stay-home mom. She made suits for her husband and clothes for all of her children. She could take a picture of a dress and design a dress for the girls from it.
She did some soapstone carving and oil painting as well.
When Bill became a pastor, she taught Sunday school in every department over the years and Bible studies when called on to do so. Her favorite Bible study was “Paul’s Missionary Journeys.”
“She was indeed a multi-talented lady and loved by everyone who had the chance to meet her throughout the years,” her family said.
Her greatest joy was the love she had for her husband, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Libby is survived by her husband of 63 years, Pastor Bill Branch of Sequim; son Steve Branch and wife Barb of Arkansas; daughters and sons-in law Debbie and Mike Green of Keizer, Ore., Sharon and Nick Ward of Sequim,  and Beverly and Jeffery Wright of Sitka; half-brother John Galen Combes and wife Carolyn of Munford, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Libby was preceded in death by her mother Virginia E. (Williams) Gookin;  stepfather Rufus F Gookin; her father, John D. Combes; three half-brothers Ronnie Combes, Bert Larry Combes, and David Combes; and two aunts, Irene Higgenbotham and Jessie Loft.
Libby loved Jesus and His Church and was a great soul winner and will meet many people that she personally showed the way of Salvation by Faith in our Lord and Savior.
The family requests that any memorial donations be made to the Alaska Baptist Convention. Cards may be sent to P.O. Box 3028, Sequim, WA 98382.

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