Paige Streit Coombs, wife of Charlie Coombs, died of Melanoma on October 14, 2013 at her home in Pomfret, Connecticut. She was 58 years old.
The daughter of Mackey Metcalfe Dutton of Chestertown and the late Donald L. Streit of Cincinnati, OH, Paige was born in Hartford, CT and grew up in Cincinnati. She always considered Chestertown as her second home and loved spending time with her late grandmother, Frances Perry Metcalfe.
A graduate of Hillsdale School, Cincinnati and Washington College, Chestertown, Paige pursued a career in theater in New York City for several years. When she returned to Chestertown, she was employed by the Kent County Board of Education and also worked as an Innkeeper for the White Swan Tavern.
In 1986, Paige married Charlie Coombs and moved to Rappahannock County, Virginia where they lived for 20 years. The Coombses extensively restored The Cabin on Mill Run, a two hundred year old log cabin at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She loved her work in the Special Education Department of Rappahannock County High School, and she was the Executive Director of Headwaters, a nonprofit educational foundation. A tireless volunteer, Paige was President of the Rappahannock County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, President of the Board for Child Care and Learning Center of Rappahannock, President of the Board of the Rappahannock County Library and Volunteer Coordinator for Hospice of the Rapidan.
Six years ago, the Coombses moved to Pomfret, where Paige worked, until she became ill, as an Associate Editor for Early American Life Magazine . Her volunteer work included membership on the Women's Board of Day-Kimball Hospital and the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret.
Paige was an excellent cook and an exceptional hostess. She enjoyed gardening and was quite knowledgeable about antiques. She will always be remembered for her quick wit and her generous and giving spirit.
Paige is survived by her husband, Charlie, her mother, a brother, Stuart Streit of Cincinnati, OH, a sister, Molly Streit of Chestertown, a stepsister, Kristin Korkunis of La Canada, CA, two stepchildren, David Coombs of Williamsburg, VA and Susan Imperati of Old Saybrook, CT, three nieces, Katie and Kelsey Streit and Grace Korkunis and four stepgrandchildren, Amanda and Ed Coombs, Sadie Gross and Joe Imperati.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 26 at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Chestertown, MD. Burial at St. Paul's, Kent will be private. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Baum, Craig Cheyne, Glen Dash, Phil Hoon, Tony Korkunis, Bryan Matthews, Luke Short and Daron Young.
A memorial celebration will be held at a later date in Pomfret, CT.
Memorial contributions may be made to Headwaters Foundation, PO Box 114, Sperryville, VA 22704; Hospice of the Rapidan, 1200 Sunset Lane, Suite 2320, Culpepper, VA 22701; The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret, CT 06259 or Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut, 320 Pomfret St, Putnam, CT 06260.
Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, 48 School Street, Webster is directing local arrangements. A guest book is available at www.shaw-majercik.com.
