I want to add to the story of how Lee Coumbs touched lives.
I first met Lee in 1971 when he came to Centralia High School as an agriculture teacher when I was a counselor. I quickly learned that Lee was a resource for kids who might be having a little difficulty in school. He could show that kind of student that they were valuable and had something to contribute to the world. He could turn them from being passive or a troublemaker to a participant and a contributor.
Later, Lee and his first wife, Marty, were leaders in the Marriage Encounter movement. For more than 10 years, they would lead weekend meetings where 20 to 30 married couples would learn communication techniques to make their marriage stronger.
For the last 10 years, Lee was part of a group that paid for, prepared and served a breakfast at the Lewis County Gospel Mission. The last time I saw Lee, he was loading compost into his truck at Borst Park to grow garlic for the annual Garlic Fest. Lee touched the lives of thousands of people. Lee liked people.
This community has lost some very important people in the last month: Bill Brumsickle, Daryl Lund and Lee Coumbs.
I am reminded of a classic country song by George Jones, “Who’s Going to Fill Their Shoes?”
Don Wilson
Centralia
