It is with sorrow that I share the passing of Charles Combe, who died after a brief heart-related illness at age 47 on March 4, 2009.

A well-respected and well-liked instructional academic staff member in the Music Department since 1994, Charles touched the lives of countless students and colleagues. In addition to teaching classical guitar, his passion for American music made him an ideal instructor of the Survey of American Music course.

Charles earned both his master’s and his bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied with Javier Calderon. His career as a musician led him to perform with various ensembles, including the Oshkosh Chamber Singers. He also taught classes at Marian University in Fond du Lac, Ripon College in Ripon and UW-Fond du Lac.

Countless students studied under Charles, learning from someone with a true passion for music.
A memorial service and celebration of Charles’s life will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 7 at Grace Chapel, 302 Church Ave., in Oshkosh. Visitation will be at 1 p.m.

Students, faculty and staff who wish to speak to a counselor are encouraged to contact the Counseling Center at (920) 424-2061.