Dr. Florence Irene Metz

Dr. Florence I. Metz, age 86 passed on away Friday, June 10, 2016 in her apartment at Bishop Spencer Place, Kansas City, Missouri. A 1951 graduate of Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio, (Later to became Case Western Reserve University), she was honored as one of the most distinguished alumni in the first 100 years of the college. She worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Agency from 1951 to 1955. In 1959 she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Iowa State University and spent the rest of her life gracefully crashing through glass ceilings, and paving the way for the women who would follow. From 1960 through 1984 she held a number of research positions at Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, Missouri reaching the office of Vice President of Chemical and Biological Sciences. In 1984 she took on a new challenge and moved to Chicago, IL as General Manager of New Product Ventures with Inland Steel. After her retirement in 1996 she returned to the Kansas City area and spent 10 years on the board of Energy Conversion Devices, helping develop green energy solutions.

She led an accomplished life and the following is the list of just a few: the author of over 30 papers, Fellow of The American Institute of Chemists, honorary member of Graduate Women in Science, past President of Science Pioneers, founder of The Women's Resource Center and Mentor program at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, past International Chairperson of the Zona International Amelia Earhart Fellowships, a member of numerous other professional societies, and several university, national, and state government committees concerned with education, the status of women, or science.

She battled and beat cancer on multiple occasions during her life. She was a longtime Kansas City Chiefs Fan, holding season tickets for over 30 years. The only box left unchecked on her bucket list was to attend the Chiefs’ next Super Bowl victory.

Dr. Metz is preceded in death by her mother Dorothy Shockley, her father James Metz, her sister-in-law Beatrice Metz, and her longtime friend and colleague Dr. Sophia Fotopoulos. She is survived by her brother James Metz, and her 2 nephews, Mark Metz and his wife Lois, and Philip Metz and his wife Sue, all of Joplin, MO.

Visitation will be 12:00-1:00 p.m followed by funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Friday, June 17, at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO. Burial in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to Camp Quality of the Ozarks, a camp for children battling cancer.