Surgeon, Former OSMA President, Steven Combs Dies at Age 78

Steven P. Combs, an orthopedic surgeon and family man, passed away unexpectedly on July 26, 2022, in Concord, Ohio, at the age of 78. All who knew him described him as a dedicated and compassionated doctor.

He first knew he wanted to devote his life to caring for others when he witnessed the horrors of Nazi concentration camps in Germany while his father was stationed there after the war. He served patients as a member of Lake Orthopedics Associates in Mentor, Ohio.

Dr. Combs was an active member of the Ohio State Medical Association, serving as president from 2004 to 2005. He was also a president of the medical staff at the Lake Hospital System and a member of the board of directors of Breckenridge Village.

Combs was born on April 9, 1944, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, but he spent much of his childhood moving around the U.S. and to other countries because his father was in the Air Force. His dad was stationed in Texas, Wisconsin, Panama, Greece, Germany, and Libya.

He graduated from Irvin High School in El Paso, Texas, in 1962 and then received his bachelor’s and medical degree from the University of Iowa. To complete his training, he did an internship in Sayre, Pennsylvania, and his residency with Cleveland Clinic. It is there he met his wife of 45 years, Penelope Calvey,

Combs like his father served in the Air Force. After completing four years of service, he and Penelope then settled in Mentor, Ohio where he practiced orthopedics, and raised their four children.

Combs loved to share fine wine and gourmet cooking with family and friends. He also enjoyed gardening, fishing, and taking care of his pet dogs. He was also an avid sports fan of all Cleveland teams in both the good times and bad.

After Penelope passed away in 2019, he moved to Concord, Ohio, and ended up connecting with an old friend Joanne Contorno. They fell in love and married in December 2021.

“Steven, aka Papa, loved to share whatever he had. He loved good movies and spending time with his grandchildren. He was generous and hard working,” his family wrote.

He is survived by his wife, Joanne Contorno, sister, Rebecca, children, Patrick Combs, Katie Miller, Meaghan Combs, M.D., Bridget Combs, M.D., grandchildren, Lily Miller and Lucille, Naomi and Gabriel Goldenberg, and stepchildren, Rick Contorno, Kristine Bell, Paul Contorno, Mark Contorno and Matthew Contorno as well as his dog Veronica.