Former KOMO reporter Pete Combs passes

KOMO News  informs viewers today that 40-year broadcasting veteran, former reporter & anchor Pete Combs has passed away from lung cancer at a hospice in Atlanta, where he was working for WSB radio news.  Pete spent two years on the KOMO-AM news team, many years on the WSB radio news team, both CBS & ABC News & was the recipient of an Edward R Murrow award for breaking news coverage while in Seattle.  He is survived by his wife Karen & his son, who lives in Seattle.  Longtime WSB News Director Chris Camp calls him a “reporter’s reporter” who knew a good story and always had his bag packed and ready to go. That included the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in the Florida panhandle, where, he says, “I’m not sure if Pete ever gave anyone the shirt off his back but he did give up his shoes to a poor soul who’d survived the storm but lost everything.” He says Combs returned in December for follow up reporting. “He was struck by all the blue tarps on damaged roofs in place of homes and businesses with Christmas decorations.” The result was an award winning documentary, appropriately called Blue Tarp Christmas. As a licensed pilot, Pete had a special fondness for aviation, also technology & gadgets & loved covering stories on NASA’s pursuits. A number of former male colleagues recall Pete addressing them as “Brother”.  A former co-worker of Pete’s, KOMO‘s Jeff Pohjola tells us: 

"He and I were hired at the same time in 2015, and I immediately knew I was working with 
a journalistic genius. Pete had spent many years working as the southeast correspondent for 
CBS News Radio before coming to Seattle. It was through my time at KIRO Radio 97.3 FM that I
first heard his work. A news geek with a deep baritone voice, his coverage of anything aviation
was something to hear. When we began working together at KOMO, we quickly bonded over our
mutual love of science fiction and space travel.He would eventually move back to his hometown
of Atlanta and become a correspondent for ABC News Radio. He never seemed happier than when he
was chasing storms or covering NASA from his base in the southeast. Journalism will not be
the same without him. Pete will be missed."

Mike Cherry

retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening