Kimberly Jane Coombs Conner

On March 20, 2020, Kimberly Jane Coombs Conner went home to Heaven to be with her Lord and Savior after valiantly battling pancreatic cancer for the past two plus years. Kim was born on March 5, 1973 and grew up in Ripley, MS, where she was active throughout her youth at First Baptist Church of Ripley. She was a member of the Tippah County Youth Leadership group and worked as a teller at the People’s Bank of Ripley. Kim graduated as Valedictorian of Ripley High School’s Class of 1991.

In 1995, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Union University in Jackson, TN where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and was a member of the Alpha Chi honor society. During her college years, Kim enjoyed working on a variety of projects with World Changers and Habitat for Humanity. She went on to complete her Master’s degree in Mathematics and teach Algebra courses at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS. 

Kim began her career at Nichols Research/CSC in Huntsville, AL where she met her future husband, Joseph Bryan Conner. They married on March 18, 2000. She left her career prior to the birth of the first of their two children. Kim homeschooled both children and later served as tutor at their Classical Conversations homeschool co-op.

Kim is survived by her husband of 20 years, Bryan, and their children, Alden Elizabeth and Zachary Price of Madison, AL; her father and mother, James A. Coombs, Jr. and Janie Martindale Coombs of Ripley, MS; her brother and sister-in-law, Chip and Saratha Coombs, and nieces, Ava and Mela, all of Ripley, MS; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joseph and Vivian Conner of Murrayville, GA, and sister-in-law, Tonia Conner of Murrayville, GA. She was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Harvey and Gale Martindale of Courtland, MS; and paternal grandparents, Jim Al and Hazel Coombs, of Ripley, MS.

The family wishes to express their great appreciation for all the efforts and wonderful care that Kim received during her illness from the Clearview Cancer Institute, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Huntsville Hospital, and Hospice Family Care of Huntsville. The unending love, prayers, and support of family and friends, as well their Missional Community group at Summit Crossing Community Church, where she was a member, and the Classical Conversations homeschool co-op, have been an overwhelming blessing to the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the NeverThirst Clean Water Ministry at neverthirstwater.org, a cause very dear to Kim’s heart. Due to current public restrictions, a private Celebration of Life service was held at 1PM on Saturday, March 28th and was live-streamed so that other family and friends could attend online. The memorial service may be viewed online at https://youtu.be/Rd4ApXWr6vQ