Joan Helen McComb-Dominey
Join us in celebrating Joan Helen—please share your stories and photos, and help spread the word about this page!
Joan Helen Blackstock McComb-Dominey, 78, died peacefully Saturday, November 4 in Lubbock, Texas after a courageous battle with breast cancer.
Joan was born July 11, 1945, in Philadelphia, PA to John Lewis and Geraldine Elizabeth (Hepburn) Blackstock. She was three when the family moved to her father's birth area of Stamford, TX. She was a proud Stamford Bulldog. In high school, Joan was on the yearbook staff, she was also a member and an officer of the pep squad. Her main activities were in FHA, Future Homemakers of America. She served as the treasurer, Vice-president, president and a FHA Star Delegate.
She left Stamford in 1963 beginning her college career at Texas Woman's University then transferred to Texas Tech University majoring in Human Sciences, and graduated in 1967. That summer she married John W. McComb, a fellow Red Raider engineering graduate, and began a teaching career in Leavenworth, KS and Kansas City, KS. She always loved children and found the best in each and every one of her students, often recalling stories ranging from tragic to hilarious.
John's career took them and their two small children, John Jr. and Jennifer, to London, England. For three years this relocation offered global travel as well as lifelong friends anywhere from England to Germany and even Norway. Joan often talked about her life abroad with much fondness touring museums, castles and abbeys. She even met Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh, near their quiet rural London town, when he noticed her lapel pin that read "I'm not a tourist, I live here".
Back in the states she began a career in retail with Macy's, advancing from jewelry sales to jewelry buyer. In 1990 they moved to Flower Mound, TX, where Joan became corporate manager of Customer Relations for the J.C. Penney Co. in nearby Plano.
Over the years Joan served on multiple boards and organizations gathering friends and immense respect from those serving with her. During her time in the Dallas area she became a member of the national board of the Texas Tech Alumni Association.
Joan continued to work for JC Penney until retiring in 2008, when she moved to Lubbock after her husband died in 2006. She remained on the Alumni Association Board and actively supported Texas Tech and Tech Athletics.
In 2011 she met Joe Dominey of Midland when he reached out to her online. They traveled together, attended Tech games and events, and in 2014 married at the Frazier Alumni Center. She was delighted to acquire a bonus family through Joe.
Joan was fondly remembered by so many friends, past colleagues and fellow board members as someone who never met a stranger, one with whom they sought advice or support, who quietly gave her time and championed for others, as someone with a huge heart, who made you feel important and as someone who was a wonderful person in every way.
You rarely saw Joan wear anything but Raider red and black and her passion for Texas Tech was unmeasured. Her steadfast courage and immensely positive disposition carried her through her global travels, raising two loving children and her battle with cancer. She kept her sharp wit and sense of humor throughout.
Joan is survived by her husband Joe Dominey, her son John W. McComb II of SanFrancisco CA, her daughter Jennifer McComb Rettig (Brian) and their three sons Jack, Greyson, and Calvin of Denver, CO, her niece Heather Blackstock Bailey (Brian) of Amarillo, TX and her nephews Patrick Dixon of Ft. Worth, TX and Matthew Blackstock of Amarillo, TX, her bonus daughter, Debbie Molen, two bonus sons, Mark and Brian Dominey, and six bonus grandchildren, Jessie Esterline, Katie Zirakzadeh, Ailine Dominey, Leesa Vibrans, Juston Dominey, Nathan Dominey, and bonus great-granddaughter, Josephine Garroutte, all of whom she loved and touched deeply.
Joan was preceded in death by parents John and Geraldine Blackstock, her first husband John W. McComb, and her brother John Blackstock.
In lieu of flowers Joan would love for you to consider making a gift to one of the following:
Texas Tech Alumni Association/McComb Scholarship
PO Box 45001
Lubbock, TX. 79409
www.Texastechalumni.org
Morris Safe House Foundation
3240 Nightengale Road
Lubbock, TX 79407
https://www.facebook.com/morrissafehouse/