Alan Coombes

Alan Coombes, 80, of Plymouth, MA (formerly of Hingham, Massachusetts, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, New Hope, Minnesota, Welwyn Garden City, England, and South Shields, England), died August 8, 2025, after a seven-year battle with Parkinson Disease. He passed away peacefully in his home with his loving wife of 54 years, June, at his side and surrounded by his family.

Alan Coombes was born in South Shields in England to Alfred and Kate Coombes on a brisk fall day in 1944. Alan attended Hull University where he made lifelong friends and received his bachelor’s degree in physics. After university, he worked on low altitude altimeters at STC, New Southgate, London. During this time, he also managed to have his eye caught by one June Wooster of Hertfordshire, England. He danced one dance with her in 1967 and never danced again. They were married a few short years later. Alan immigrated to the United States with his family in 1977 working on pacemakers for Johnson & Johnson, in Minneapolis. He transferred to Hingham, Massachusetts where he continued to work in research and development for J & J. Alan was a collaborator on 8 different patents for pacemakers and other medical devices all while sporting some serious sideburns and well-coordinated polyester suits. Thank you, June!

On April 20th, 1995 Alan and June became naturalized citizens.

Alan pursued other interests while working including training in taekwondo with Billy Blanks. He also achieved his lifelong dream of getting his pilot's license, flying small Piper planes out of Marshfield airport, and taking his wife, June, on memorable trips to the Vineyard.

In 1995 Alan retired at 55 and proceeded to complete everything remaining on his bucket list. He painted dozens of paintings, some of which were sold at the Cohasset Art Show. He often went on long nature walks with June, which apparently, he only pretended to like for decades. He and his wife June traveled all over the world, visiting 6 different continents and exploring many different countries. In his last trip to England, he especially enjoyed being the baggage in the back with June. Alan was also an avid reader of non-fiction with a fascination, nay obsession, in war and history and enjoyed many, many, many hours of war movie watching with a very patient June. They also loved playing cards and games together.

His life was full of amazing accomplishments but recently he said his best accomplishment and thing he is most proud of is his family. He said having two sons was the best decision of his life. He also enjoyed being a Grampapotamus to his three grandsons and happily waved goodbye every time they left after a visit giving them a lifetime of wonderful memories.

Alan was preceded in death by his mother Kate, father Alfred, brother Brian, sister Ruth and his beloved cat Boris. He is survived by his wife June, sons Peter Coombes (the favorite) and Philip Coombes (the favorite), his daughter in law Raychael Chavez Coombes (the real favorite), and grandchildren Andrue Coombes, wife Dia Smith, Ward Coombes, his fiancé Sebastian Kopellas, Jonathan Coombes, his girlfriend Rachel Topham, his sister-in-law Maureen Coombes and many nieces and nephews in England. He was very loved and will be missed greatly by all.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visitation on Sunday, August 17, 2025, from 12-2 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. Funeral service will be celebrated immediately following the visitation at 2 PM in Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, Hingham.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY, 10163.