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Lincoln - Ernest A. Lacombe, 85, passed away on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Mount St. Rita Health Centre, Cumberland after a long struggle with Parkinson's Disease. He was the beloved husband of the late Simonne (LaMontagne) Lacombe. They had been married for sixty-one years.
Born in Albion, a son of the late Albert and Rita (Palardy) Lacombe, he lived in Lincoln for most of his life. Ernie began his working life at Hasbro in Pawtucket before being drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of twenty-one. He served two years on active duty, including deployment to Korea. A decade later, he rejoined the military, serving in both the National Guard and the Army Reserves. Over the course of his twenty-eight-year Army career, he rose to the rank of sergeant major. In civilian life, he worked at Fram Corporation and later served as payroll manager for Swarovski North America in Cranston, retiring in 2005.
He proudly served as a volunteer firefighter with the Saylesville Fire Department for thirty-three years, rising to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to his service on the front lines, he dedicated eleven years as a Fire Warden and served as the Emergency Management Director for the Town of Lincoln for over twenty years. In recognition of his unwavering commitment to public safety and community service, he was honored as Grand Marshal of the Lincoln Memorial Day Parade in 2019.
Ernie loved playing cribbage with his son and enjoyed playing cards with his sisters and nephew. He was a communicant of Saint Jude Church, Lincoln.
He is survived by his two children, Neal Lacombe and Eileen Lacombe, both of Lincoln; two sisters, Lillian McNeil and her husband Robert, of North Smithfield, and Celine Cote of Cumberland; three grandchildren, Kyle Kwasniewski, Amber Lacombe and Lisa Lacombe; and several nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Lt. Col. Paula Lacombe and Alan Lacombe; and the brother of the late Pauline Laverdiere, Paul Lacombe, Charles Lacombe and Armand Lacombe.
His funeral will be held Friday, September 19, 2025 at 9:00 AM from Bellows Funeral Chapel, 160 River Road, Lincoln, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in Saint Jude Church, 301 Front Street, Lincoln. Burial with military honors will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Cumberland. Family and friends are invited, and may attend visiting hours on Thursday from 4:00 -7:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, or to Operation Stand Down RI, 1010 Hartford Avenue, Suite 1, Johnston, RI 02919 would be appreciated.
For directions or to leave a message of condolence, please visit www.bellowsfuneralchapel.com.
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