Belteron Burnell Holcombe (BB) was born July 1, 1920 in Batesville, Arkansas, and reared there by his mother and grandparents. He left Heartwood Extended Healthcare Facility, Tacoma, WA and this world on Monday 07/17/17 to join his loved ones with the Lord.  He was preceded in death by: His beloved wife, Luella, of 66 years of marriage and Robert Tucker, his son in law. He is survived by Jane Tucker of Pasco, daughter; Mike (Helen) Holcombe, Tacoma; Terry (Jackie) Holcombe, Tacoma; Tony (Glenda) Holcombe, Eaton, Colorado; Y. D. Whitehurst, brother, Melbourne, AR; Wendell Whitehurst, brother, Little Rock, AR; 15 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren.

 Due to the Great Depression, he quit school at age 14 to stand around at a steam powered  mill that sawed barrel staves until a man ”fell out”, and then BB went to work for  a dime an hour and a dollar a day. Later he shipped out on the train with the CCC”s (Civilian Conservation Corp) to Chelan, WA to live through subzero winter weather sleeping in a tent, to help support his family while building a national park. Upon returning home, although BB joined the National Guard, and began his career as a builder, he also found time to meet and marry Luella Nelson in 1941, and a year later they were blessed by the birth of Jane Elizabeth their first child. Shortly thereafter, Uncle Sam called and BB was drafted into the Army during WWII.

After less than 90 days, BB was honorably medically discharged from the military. BB and Lue then had a son, Michael and two years later twin boys, Terry and Tony.

BB had a rule for his kids, anything less than a C- merited a spanking, and that rule on report card days produced some very sorrowful faces, but in the long run BB had four college graduates in his household. Another rule he enforced was “Thou shalt attend church twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday every week”, and that one produced four law abiding , saved by grace young Christians. That may have been his greatest accomplishment.

BB’s greatest career accomplishment was building fine “spec” homes and selling them to Tri-City lawyers, doctors, engineers, etc. with the help of his home-made hand lettered “For Sale by Builder” sign. Though hot and sweaty with his overalls on and perhaps no shirt, when a fine car would pull up in front of the house he was building he would say, “Keep on working boys while I sell this house to this doctor.” And he did. They really liked it when he told them that he built the best houses in the Tri-Cities, and he did.

The Mariners have lost an extremely loyal fan in baseball loving BB who sometimes rooted for them from his wheelchair at Safeco Field.  He was very witty and humorous with an encyclopedic memory for sayings and adages to fit almost any situation. Our loss is heaven’s gain, for BB was certain that he was saved by the grace of God, and he said just days before passing that he was not afraid to die.

A public memorial service will be at Einan’s Chapel in Richland, Saturday July 22, 2017 at 2:00 P.M. to honor B.B. Holcombe.