Dr. William "Loyal" "Doc" Combs, Jr. (1920-1998)

1936/7 LHS Basketball Squad	1938	1985

The following April 22, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 5, column 4:

Mr. and Mrs. Hal Weaver, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Featherstone of Gary, spent Sunday in Milwaukee with the Weavers' daughter, Mrs. L.W. Combs, and husband. Bill is a medical student in the naval reserve at Marquette university and his wife is a nurse at the hospital there.

This March 16, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 3:

Ensign and Mrs. William Combs have been here the past few days visiting her parents, the Hal Weavers.

The following June 8, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 5, column 3:

Ensign William Combs, medical student at Marquette university, spent several days last week here with his wife, who is caring for her mother, Mrs. Hal Weaver, who is slowly recovering from a recent major operation.

This August 3, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was on page 4, column 2:

Ensign and Mrs. William Combs, of Milwaukee, Wis., have been here the past week for a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hal Weaver, and brother, Jimmy, and other relatives and friends.

This Lowell Tribune article was found in the July 12, 1945, issue (page 5, column 3):

A son was born to Lt. and Mrs. William Combs, Jr., of Milwaukee, Wis., June 30th.

This August 30, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 5, column 4:

Lt. and Mrs. William Combs and daughter, Sally Jean, of Milwaukee, Wis., have been here visiting her parents, the Hal Weavers, and brother Jimmy.

The following newspaper article, hand-identified as being from the April 1, 1956, Star, was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:

Dr. L.W. Combs Named Purdue Health Director

A native of Lowell, this prominent citizen takes with him the well wishes of the entire community for happiness at Purdue. He will be sorely missed and friends will always anticipate his return.

After graduation from Lowell high school in 1938, "Bill" entered Purdue where he obtained his pre-medic training. An outstanding high school athlete, "Bill" went on to win glory for Purdue. He was a star end on the 1939-'40 and '41 Boilermaker football teams and was named "most valuable" player on the 1941 squad.

"Bill" also played one season of professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles before entering Marquette University Medical School. As health director at Purdue, Dr. Combs will be physician for the varsity athletic teams.

Ten years ago Dr. Combs returned home, to the community so proud of his accomplishments, and he has endeared himself through his sincere interest in the health of the community. He established the Lowell Clinic and obtained as his associate, Dr. David Templin, a foremost Gary physician.

Dr. Templin will assume management of the Lowell Clinic and he is proud to introduce to the community his new associate and family, Dr. and Mrs. Reynolds Wade and two children, who will come to Lowell from Cincinnati, Ohio.

This newspaper article comes from the June 26, 1985, Lowell Tribune:

Lowell's 'Loyal' Combs Lives Up To His Name

Loyalty has been a hallmark of Combs' service to Purdue, which began in the late 1930's when he enrolled as a student athlete. An All-Big Ten football player for three years, the Lowell prep star was also a distinguished scholar. After graduation, he played one year of professional football before starting medical school. Ten years after his next graduation, he returned to his beloved Boilermaker campus and began a long and happy professional association which was saluted this month at a special banquet.

Combs, 65, was honored June 14 in West Lafayette at a Recognition Dinner in honor of his July 1 retirement. He bid a formal farewell to a gathering of nearly 250 friends, co-workers and associates at the Lafayette Conservation Club, then headed to Canada for a fishing trip.

Speakers at the dinner included the honoree's wife, Sally Dodds Combs, University Senior Vice President Dr. John Hicks, Athletic Director George King, Purdue All-American gridder Mike Phipps, Head Athletic Trainer Dennis Miller, Combs' successor as Team Physician, Dr. Gary Prah, and one of Combs' close friends, Joe Thiesing. The emcee was Assistant Athletic Director Bob DeMoss.

Combs was born in 1920 in Holder, Ill., but spent a large part of his childhood in Lowell, graduating No. 1 in his class from Lowell High School in 1938. He played four years of football and basketball for the Red Devils, serving as captain of both teams as a senior.

He continued both in academic and athletic prowess at Purdue, earning Distinguished Student honors throughout his college career. Football fans remember Combs best, however, for his accomplishments on the gridiron, where he lettered three years as a varsity end in the days before platooning, when players toiled both on offense and defense.

An All-Big Ten selection for three years, Combs was also the Most Valuable Player on the Boilermaker team in 1941. Following his graduation in 1942, the Indiana Football Hall of Famer played one year of professional ball with the Philadelphia Eagles, then enrolled in medical school at Marquette University, graduating in 1946.

Combs next advanced thru the ranks to lieutenant in the U.S. navy before returning to his hometown of Lowell to begin private practice. He was a volunteer assistant coach and team physician for Lowell High School, and also served as president of the Lowell School Board, organizing a citizen's committee to prepare for the construction of a new school building.

He returned to Purdue in 1956 as director of the student hospital and team physician, beginning a distinguished career that brought him numerous honors. He was selected to Sports Illustrated magazine's Silver Anniversary All-America team in 1966, entered in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1977, and became one of only nine men to receive the President's Challenge Cup Award in 1982, the highest award of the National Athletic Trainers Assn., given for outstanding service and innovation in the field of sports medicine.

Known as 'Doctor Bill' to his athletes, Combs brought a special sensitivity to his work, having been a star athlete himself. He also spent considerable time helping sports medicine programs away from Purdue, serving as team physician in 1977 for the U.S. World Games team and in 1957 for the U.S. contingent to the Pan American Games.

Now that he is retiring, Combs plans to concentrate on two of his favorite pastimes, hunting and fishing. But during football season, it won't be a surprise to find him along the sidelines at Boilermaker games. After all, where else would you find someone named Loyal?

The following article from the Nov. 3, 1998, Lowell Tribune/Cedar Lake Journal was found in Town Historian Richard Schmal's obituary collection:

Lowell's Combs, Longtime PU Team Doc, Passes Away

Dr. Loyal W. "Doc" Combs, the Lowell native who gained fame as a Purdue University football player and longtime team physician, passed away last week at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.

Combs, 78, died Tuesday morning, October 27.

Born June 29, 1920, in Holder, Illinois, he was raised in Lowell, where he played for the Lowell High Red Devils before enrolling at Purdue. He earned his bachelor's degree from PU in 1942, after earning football letters during the 1939, 1940 and 1941 seasons.

He also earned All Big Ten Team honors and Most Valuable Player honors as a senior, played professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1942, and then served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 through 1946, also attending Marquette University's Medical School and earning his degree in 1946.

He became a prominent physician in Lowell from 1948 through 1956, residing locally with his first wife, Betty Weaver Combs, who preceded him in death in 1955.

He served as Purdue's football team physician for all but two years between 1956 and 1994, spearheading one of the most respected sports medicine programs in the United States. He was also the director of the Purdue Student Hospital from 1956 through 1981.

His never-ending efforts in the field of sports medicine were recognized in 1982, when the National Athletic Trainers Association bestowed its highest honor, the President's Challenge Cup, upon Combs. He was honored as the Hovde Chair Distinguished Professor of Sports Medicine at PU in 1981 and was accorded emeritus status by the PU Board of Trustees upon his retirement in 1994.

He also spent a great deal of time assisting sports medicine programs at other places, serving as the team physician for the 1977 U.S. World Games team and the 1957 U.S. Pan American Games contingent from the U.S.

A member of the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, he was named to the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-American Team in 1967. Combs was inducted into the Purdue Athletic Hall of Fame just a year ago and was also the recipient of the Diamond "P" Award for distinguished service and commitment to Purdue Athletics in 1986.

A Lafayette resident since 1956, he was a member of St. John Episcopal Church and was an avid reader who enjoyed many sports, including hunting, fishing and golf.

He is survived by his wife, Sally B. (nee Dodds) Combs, whom he married in 1964 in Indianapolis, and by two children, Sally Jean Fellman of Kokomo and Paul W. Combs, Sr., of Little Rock, Arkansas, four grandchildren, one sister, Leona Perry of Florida, and two brothers, Tom Combs of West Lafayette and Ralph Combs of Cedar Lake.

Visitation was held Oct. 29 at Hippensteel Funeral Home in Lafayette, followed by a funeral October 30 at St. John Episcopal Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the Newell-Combs Athletic Training Scholarship at Purdue University.

Last updated on June 12, 2006.

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Dr. William “Loyal” “Doc” Combs, Jr. (1920-1998)