Passing of Larry Kombrink

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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by Pipescs »

I have just been notified by family members that Larry Kombrink passed quietly in his sleep at 10.00 pm last night. Larry was 90 years old and had been involved in Live steam his entire life. He lived in the mountains near Idaho Springs Colorado. This will bring a chuckle to anyone in Colorado who knew him as Larry never did anything quietly without an opinion.

As a young man coming to this hobby he was my mentor and took every chance he could to tell me "Pipes you can't be that stupid".

Most people outside of Colorado will not know him as he seldom came down from the mountain top. Larry was, to say the least, an unforgettable character in this hobby. If you knew him, you either hated or loved him. There was no middle ground.

His daughter tells me he was flirting with the nurses to the end, and that there will be no services due to Larry's request to "Just burn my XXXXXXX XXX" in his own personal style.

I will miss him.
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by Andypullen »

I'm sorry for the loss of your old friend, Charlie....He sounds like he was a fun guy to be around.

Andy Pullen
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Dave Bortz
Posts: 132
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:44 am
Location: North of Reading PA

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by Dave Bortz »

Sorry to hear that Charlie... losing an old friend is always hard. Especially a mentor of a life long hobby like ours.
Thoughts and prayers to you and his family.
Dave
cp4449
Posts: 569
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Granada Hills

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by cp4449 »

I am always sad to hear when one of our senior live steamers pass away. One would hope that someone with a audio/video recorder would just sit down and talk to them about all of the projects they worked on.

I am sorry for your loss. For us younger live steamers, what scale did he model in?
Christopher P. Mahony
Los Angeles Live Steamers
1 inch scale member
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by Pipescs »

Larry worked in all the electric scales from HO, O, G and N. His steam work was in one inch and 1.5.
DSC_0001.jpg
His RR was the Dry Creek and Western being located in his yard at 9000 feet. A lot of tight radius restricted the engines to small ones
DSC_0040.jpg
He also flew RC model planes, ran RC Sailboats, Tugs and Subs

Between WWII and his Retirement he was the Maintenance Lead at the Gannela Pass Power station in Colorado
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
DJSteamer3017
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:07 am
Location: Downey, CA

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by DJSteamer3017 »

Pipes,

Is this the same gentleman with the Huge Collection of 1" Scale Equipment that was being sold and later backed out of selling? Thanks and Keep on Steamin' my Friend!!!

David
The 1" Scale Junkie ... But steam of all sizes is cool with me!!
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
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Loco112
Posts: 977
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:09 pm
Location: Dallas ,Texas. USA

Re: Passing of Larry Kombrink

Post by Loco112 »

RIP Larry.
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