Funeral services for Duane Coombs, 86 year old Buffalo resident who passed away suddenly December 29th at his home in Buffalo, will be held Monday, January 8th at 2:00 p.m. from the Harness Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo with  Scott Rauscher and Scott Rauscher and Cole Larsen officiating.  Visitation will be held from the Funeral Home Chapel on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Interment will be in Westwood Hills Memorial Park in Placerville, California some time in the summer.  Donations may be made in Duane’s memory to C.H.A.P.S., Children, Horses, and Adults in Partnership, in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo.  Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com

Duane Joseph Coombs was born on September 23, 1931 in Delta, Colorado to Oliver and Mary Coombs.  He grew up and went to school in the Grand Junction, Colorado area.  He went to PUC Prep School in Angwin, California and graduated with the class of 1949.  After high school he attended Stanford University and Napa College before joining the military in January of 1951.  He served in the U.S. Navy and was a Korean Era Veteran and served as a hospital corpsman.  He received an honorable discharge in August of 1958 and returned to California.  He was married in July of 1959 to Evelyn Smith and they made their home in Manteca, California where Duane was a prison guard. During his time as a guard he attended San Jose State University where he studied Psychology and the Social Sciences.  In 1967 they moved Orangevale, California where Duane worked at Folsom Prison as a Correctional Counselor and was on the Parole Board.  He retired from Folsom Prison in 1986 and they moved Somerset, California and later to Diamond Springs, California.  Mrs. Coombs passed away in 2013 and in 2014 Duane moved to Buffalo, Wyoming where he lived until his death.

Duane was a court appointed special advocate for children and volunteered with CASA.  He was very active in C.H.A.P.S. (Children Horses and Adults in Partnership) and received the PATH International Equestrian of the year award for 2017 and was one of 5000 Veterans eligible for the award by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

He is survived  by one daughter Vicki Norwood of Story, Wyoming; one step-son Paul Chaney of Vacaville,California; one brother Robert Coombs and one sister Ramona Germanis both of California; three grandchildren Heather Beltrans and Sam Chaney both of California and April Gibson of San Antonio, Texas and numerous great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and one brother.

Sheridan & Johnson County Obituaries