Combs legacy carries across generations It is in the strip of land located between the Cumberland River and Pine Mountain that a new legacy began – the legacy of Combs descendants becoming MSU Eagles. When it came time for the oldest Combs child, Mary Combs Cunningham (Class of 1977), to decide on a college path, she assumed she would follow in her dad, Mason’s, footsteps. He had attended Duquesne in Pennsylvania and majored in pharmacy. Mary had thought she would do the same – until she saw the pharmacy curriculum. In April 1972, she had the chance to travel to Morehead with her mother to attend the Miss Morehead pageant. A family friend, Nancye Chandler (Class of 1972), was participating in the pageant and the Combs family went to show their support. As she sat in the audience, Mary knew – she wanted to do that, too. Miss Morehead and the community piqued her interest in MSU, but she didn’t quite sign her name on the dotted line just yet. Later, she had a chance to make a second visit as they again went to support a family friend – Sharon Grace, who was in the band at Morehead State. While on this visit, she had the chance to meet an MSU legend – Clyde James (Class of 1965) – who she found so welcoming and kind. The second visit sealed the deal. Mary wanted to come to MSU, be a majorette and earn a spot in the Miss Morehead pageant – all things she would accomplish. Mary’s move to MSU led to her earning a bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles in 1973. Her decision to become an Eagle started what has since become a bit of a family tradition. Two of her brothers would soon follow in her footsteps. John Mason Combs (Class of 1980) and David Lawrence Combs (Class of 1983) also attended, both earning
From left: Mark David Combs, Teresa Ann (Lane) Combs, David Lawrence Combs, Sarah Elizabeth Combs, Mary Combs Cunningham and John Mason Combs Bachelor of Business Administration degrees. David would meet his future wife, Teresa Ann Lane Combs (Class of 1983) at MSU, as well. David and Teresa encouraged their children to continue building upon the Combs legacy of MSU Eagles. Two of their children, Mark David Combs (Class of 2014) and Sarah Elizabeth Combs (Class of 2022) also became proud graduates. The MSU tradition that the Combs family built has always been special. To recognize that legacy, Mary’s husband, Jack Cunningham, decided to surprise her by establishing a scholarship endowment at MSU in honor of her parents. A graduate of The Citadel and a member of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation Board, Jack had seen first-hand the impact privately funded scholarships could make. He felt it was a meaningful way to honor his wife’s pride in MSU and their family connections. The Mason and Rosemary Combs Scholarship Endowment recognizes their commitment to ensuring their children had the opportunity to pursue a college degree – and the MSU legacy that grew from that commitment. The scholarship supports first-year students from Bell County and the surrounding region. “My brothers and I are very proud of our Kentucky heritage and especially our MSU legacy,” Mary said. “My parents worked very hard to ensure my brothers and I received a college education. MSU was the perfect fit for us – and we are proud to be Eagles.” 39
