Doris Jo (Ufford) Coombes

Doris Jo (Ufford) Coombes
On December 11, 1934 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Doris Jo Ufford, the 8th and last child
of Chester and Eva (Moon) Ufford was born. Doris passed away January 16, 2025.
A brief accounting of her 90 year life story:
The depression brought hardship to the family so they moved to Oregon after securing
employment at the Army Depot near Hermistion. Doris started second grade in
Hermiston and graduated from Hermiston High in 1952.
While working in the office at the Mayflower Farms creamery in Hermistion, Doris met
Ben Coombes a new milkman just returned from the Korean War. They married in 1953
and lived a lifetime romance of 65 years until Ben’s passing in 2018.
Doris and Ben bought Ben’s family farm in the Stanfield Echo Meadows and raised four
children: Deanna (Mike) Frantum, David & Raquel Coombes, Duane & Elizabeth
Coombes and Della (Tom) Jackson. There are 12 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren.
Doris was a hard worker with a loyal and cheerful heart. When she found employment it
was usually cooking/kitchen related: Hinkle Hotel and Restaurant, Stanfield School
District cafeterias, Camp Elkanah & Stanfield Senior Center (volunteer). She loved
serving others, but especially at the dinner table. She served large portions and no one
minded. Her potato soup will never be equalled and her dinner rolls were perfection. An
apple pie was a special way for Doris to deliver heartfelt gratitude for kindness shown
her.
It was on the family farm where adventurous memories were formed and Doris was at
the center of the fun. Family visited in the summers for a taste of country life. She
cooked big family style meals daily. Going out to eat meant cook-outs up near the canal
where the sagebrush grew tall and the Oregon trail wagon ruts ran through. Hills Meat
Co. hotdogs cooked on willow sticks over the fire with toasted marshmallows for dessert
were 5 star. When the sun dipped behind the Emigrant Buttes, Ben would play his
harmonica and the coyotes would sing back. There was more cow milking, horse riding,
hay bailing, animal feeding, bread baking, irrigating, jam making, hayrides, fishing trips,
canning, garden tending to come. Doris and Ben’s story included lots of work and
difficulties but a joyful, peaceful resiliency was what others came to experience
alongside them.
Doris attended Stanfield Baptist Church. She taught the kindergarten Sunday school
class for many years and loved each child. Her various involvements through her
church family and community were a vital source of connection, service and joy. Family
and friends trusted her fierce loyalty, faithful prayers and strong, helpful hands when in
need.
She was a vegetable gardener, maximizing production to share with all in need or want.
She mastered seeing potential and making beauty from the overlooked. Doris was kind
and creative and actively looked for ways to be a source of blessing.
Doris loved personal stories and encouraged her family to recount stories of life on the
farm and of God’s provision. In doing so she is honored, keeping all aware that each
unique contribution of love and faithfulness throughout life builds on her legacy of giving
with a cheerful heart.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 1:00 P.M. at the Stanfield Baptist Church, Stanfield, Oregon.

Private burial will be at the Pleasant View Cemetery, Stanfield, Oregon.

Please share memories of Doris with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Doris Jo (Ufford) Coombes, please visit our floral store.