Stephanie Diane McCombs

Sassy, Genuine, Kind, and Determined, Stephanie Diane McCombs entered the gates of Heaven on the 9th of September 2024. Stephanie is the person everyone could count on to give them bold, truthful and loving advice. Her children and grandchildren are her pride and joy. If you asked her for a favor, she would jokingly say “depends on the favor”, but we all knew it didn’t matter what it was, she would be there. Stephanie was saved and baptized on May 2nd, 1993 at Life Unlimited Christian Fellowship.

Stephanie has left a legacy of strength and love on this Earth with her children daughter Brittany McCombs, her son Isaac McCombs (Katheryn-Ann), her daughter McKenzie McCombs, her son Keaton McCombs, 3 grandchildren Blakelee McClendon her ‘Little Bear’, John-David McCombs her ‘Little Monkey’, Blaire McClendon her newest grandbaby, her fiancé Alan Manees and his children Bryanna Bowers (Mike), Jonathan Austin (Cheyanne), and Gabe Manees, her dad Bill Sims (Nita), her twin sister Kelly Howard (Chris), sisters Samantha Floyd, Christy Milam, Sarah Scott (John), Shelby Gray (Nate), one brother Billy Sims, along with numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins, honorary son Andriy Nagay (wife Sandi, 3 children Grace, Liam, Isaiah), and many friends. She has joined in Heaven her son, Patrick, her mother, Nona Sims, and all her grandparents.

Stephanie had a great love for helping children her entire adult life. Stephanie obtained her bachelor’s degree in education a few years ago after being a stay at home mom to her children. She recently enrolled in a program for getting a special education master’s degree and was due to graduate from that program next summer. She served at Hill Farm Elementary School as a special education teacher teaching students with severe disabilities. She loved her colleagues and students like family. She also spent many years working in children’s ministry. Stephanie was a mom for everyone who needed her. In good Sims fashion there was always plenty of food for anyone who showed up at dinner time. Stephanie was always willing to open up her home to anyone needing a place to stay. She was involved with a foreign exchange program where she housed students for a few years. She still holds a relationship with some of them, because once family meant always family to Stephanie. She was the definition of a servant’s heart. Weddings, graduations or birthdays, Stephanie was always on board to help plan and serve at any occasion. She volunteered for years with the Salem Ballpark in various capacities. Stephanie was the one who would drop everything to help someone who needed her.

Stephanie would say to her children, “my favorite part of life is being a mom to you all and nana to my grandbabies”. If Stephanie were here in this moment she would say to all of us, “Put on your big girl panties and stop your crying, I want you all to celebrate the life I lived. ‘I am just sayin’.” 

A visitation will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home (1921 Main Street) with a memorial service following at 3:00 PM.