Susan Combs Highley

Susan Evelyn Combs Highley, 84, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away on April 27, 2026, from complications of a fall.

Born on April 12, 1942, in Wilmington, Delaware, Susan was the daughter of Lloyd Nelson Combs, an engineer, and Evelyn Marie Combs (née Renouf), a homemaker. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1964 with a degree in Elementary Education, beginning a lifelong love of teaching and caring for others.

Susan was an educator in every sense of the word. She taught around the world, including at the Tehran American School in Iran, Dhahran International School in Saudi Arabia, and Brandon Academy in Brandon, Florida, she shared not just lessons, but encouragement, curiosity, and kindness with her students. English was her favorite subject, and she loved the art of teaching.

On July 10, 1965, she married Robert Walter “Bob” Highley, Jr., and together they built a life full of adventure, family, and deep connection. Through Bob’s service in the United States Air Force, their family moved often, more than 20 times, living across the United States, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Wherever they went, Susan made each new place feel like home.

She sold hot dogs at the first Sun ‘n Fun in 1975 as a pioneer volunteer. After coming to Lakeland in 1992, Susan became a beloved part of the Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo community as a volunteer in the gift shop, eventually to become its manager. But more than that, she became someone people looked forward to seeing each year. She and Sun ‘n Fun were connected for over 50 years. She was a familiar, welcoming presence, someone who remembered your name, asked how you were doing, and truly meant it.

Susan loved the little things that brought joy, collecting bells, globes, angels, and violets, and she especially loved being around people. She had a gift for listening, for encouraging, and for quietly helping others find their way.

More than anything, Susan was a “Mom.” Not just to her own family, but to anyone who needed one. She welcomed people exactly as they were, without judgment, and made them feel cared for, understood, and never alone. Her warmth, humor, and genuine interest in others left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She always encouraged people around her to “Make yourself proud!”

She approached life with a sense of adventure, never shying away from something new. She was resourceful, selfless, and never sought attention for herself. She was a wonderful mom and a proud grandma, an excellent cake baker, and someone who always had a smile ready. Even through life’s challenges, she kept moving forward with quiet strength and grace.

Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Evelyn Combs, and her sister, Marilyn Combs Friedrichs.

She is survived by her husband of over 60 years, Robert Walter “Bob” Highley, Jr.; her children, Robert Walter “Bob” Highley III (Teresa) and Jennifer “Jenny” Highley Helman (Donald); and her grandchildren, Robert Charles “Bob” Highley, Thomas Michael “Tom” Highley, Richard Robert “Ricky” Helman (McKenzie), and John Ryne Helman (Ashley).

A celebration of Susan’s life will be held on June 13, 2026 at 2:00 pm, at the Sun 'n Fun campus, Prop 75 venue.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Aerospace Center for Excellence, an organization close to her heart. Please visit https://aceedu.org/ for more information about supporting the center as a legacy to her.

She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, laughter, and love—and a world made better by having had her as “Mom.”