Obituary of Gordon Arnold Mettler

Gordon Arnold Mettler, age 81 of Menno, passed away Monday evening, October 27, 2014 at the Menno Olivet Care Center. He was surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Thursday, October 30, 2014 at the Zion Reformed Church, Menno with Rev. Travis Grassmid officiating. Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Rames-Bender American Legion Post #183, Menno and the South Dakota Army National Guard Honor Guard. Visitations will be from 5 to 8 PM, Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at the Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, and then one hour prior to the service at the church. Gordon Arnold Mettler was born February 15, 1933 to Jacob F. and Magdalena (nee Mettler) Mettler on the family farm four miles north of Menno, SD. He was baptized by Reverend Huenemann and confirmed by Reverend Korn in Zion Reformed Church. Gordon graduated from Menno High School in 1951 with his twin brother, Gerald. He attended Augustana College prior to serving in the U.S. Army from 1953 until being honorable discharged on September 15, 1955. When he returned, he attended SDSU and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1959 with a degree in Animal Husbandry. He married Patricia A. Conrad on August 25, 1956 in California, and they started to farm north of Menno until he was injured in a farm accident, which left him quadriplegic. After returning from the hospital, he started an insurance business. He also taught an Adult Veteran Ag Class for two years. In 1969, he became the Business Manager at the Menno School District until his retirement in 1994. While in the insurance business, he also opened a tax counseling business, which he ran until 2009. In 1995, when the Menno Pioneer Heritage Association was organized, he served as the treasurer until 2013. He was a lifelong member at Zion Reformed Church. He sang in the church choir and in the community Men's chorus. Gordon is survived by Pat, his wife of 58 years; four children: Rhonda (Danny) Poole, Renee Mettler (Terry Isaacson) and daughters, Taryn and Hanna, David (Patty) Mettler and son, Lucas, and Tricia Mettler (Kevin Gray) and children, Zane and Kai; his brother, Ray Mettler; sister-in-law, Carol Mettler, and brothers-in-law, Clifford Handel and Forrest (Barb) Conrad. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters: Cecilia Huenemann, Elsie (Willard) Herrboldt, Erna (Robert) Tueting, Helen Handel, brothers, Gerald Mettler, and Calvin Mettler, and two siblings who passed in childhood, Richard and Hildegard, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews.