Tempy Dell McCombe (81) passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on August 27, 2026, after a year and a half long battle with ovarian cancer. She leaves behind an inspiring legacy of faith, travel, involvement in her community and a deep love and devotion to her family and friends.

Born on October 5, 1944, in Henderson, Texas, to Ardell Watkins and Rev. Frank Ball Burress, youngest of 3 with Thomas Frank “Buddy” Burress and Virginia “Jenny” Neelye (Burress) Hutchenson being her older brother and sister.

Her early life was a journey of faith shaped by her father’s ministry. At 10 months old, her family moved to Washington, D.C. where her father served as a pastor of Fountain Memorial Church. They later returned to the Lone Star State, moving to Jacksonville, Texas, during her second-grade year while her father led Central Baptist Church. At age 12, the family relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, as her father took on the foundational role of heading the Southern Baptist work in Wisconsin and Minnesota through the Two-State Fellowship.

Tempy began her higher education at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, at age 17, before transferring to Baylor University for her junior and senior years, where she graduated with majors in both English and French. Her career as an educator began in 1966 in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she taught French and English at Talcott Junior High School. It was there that she met her husband George, a fellow teacher at the school.

The couple married in 1968 and immediately left for what George calls their “2 year honeymoon” where they lived, worked and traveled in Surrey and Bath, England. When they returned to the States, they settled in Wisconsin where they started their family. Between Dousman and Pewaukee, they welcomed their three children. Spencer in 1973, Burress in 1976, and Neelye (a planned home birth), in 1979. Even after having children and continuing in work, the travel didn’t stop. Each summer, the family would pack into a vehicle and make trips, seeing most of the United States during those summers.

Over the years Tempy held many miscellaneous odd jobs to keep the family running. Fundraising, inventory, gun club shoots, delivering for a dental company… but when the kids were all old enough for her to seek full time employment, she found real estate and fell in love! She rocketed through the ranks and landed herself immediately as one of the top sellers within the first 2 years. She sold countless properties over her 10 years with Wauwatosa Realty/Shorewest Realty.

After real estate, Tempy found a place working at Elmbrook Church. Her love for God, His Word, His church, and her lack of reverence for anything or anyone else, made her a hilarious blessing to all who worked with her.

In 2006, Tempy and George moved to Quito, Ecuador, where they spent seven years serving with HCJB Radio, a worldwide Christian broadcasting network. Upon returning to the States in 2013, they spent eight years in Georgetown, Kentucky, before making their final move in 2021 to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, to be close to their daughter Neelye and her family.

When Tempy was diagnosed in October of 2024 with ovarian cancer, she announced that “this is her platform” and embarked on telling anyone and everyone who would listen about the salvation and grace to be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. She exclaimed, “Who would deny an old lady with a terminal disease the ability to speak her mind?!” and that’s exactly what she did, right up until she went into hospice. When she began her almost 2 week journey in hospice, she asked that the doors be opened and whomever would like to see her, come and see her. And did people ever pour in to see her! Because Tempy was so well traveled and made so many friends of different ages, cultures and languages, she had visits from people from different states and even countries! Phone calls, emails, text messages, cards, flowers, etc. flooded in from all over the globe! In all of these interactions, her faith in our Lord was on full display and shone so brightly, it couldn’t be denied!

Tempy was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings.

She is survived by her devoted husband, George; her three children, Spencer (Michelle) McCombe, Burress (Kristin) McCombe, and Neelye (Chad) Brown; and her seven cherished grandchildren: Cordtsen Brown, Cora McCombe, Brady McCombe, Della Brown, Whitley Brown, Shay McCombe, and Ryder McCombe. She also leaves behind an extended family and countless friends across the globe who were touched by her vivacious spirit, teaching, and ministry.

A memorial service to celebrate Tempy's life will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Whitestone Community Church. Visitation will take place from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, with the funeral service beginning at 2:00 PM. A catered reception will follow immediately at the church to share memories and fellowship. A livestream option will also be available.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Tempy's honor to HCJB Ecuador, ReachBeyond, or Tricia's Troops Cancer Connection.