Laura Evalina Metzger

Feb. 4, 1915 to May 15, 2010

Evalina Metzger passed away on May 15th at Emerson House in Portland, Oregon. She was 95 years old. Born on Feb. 4, 1915 in Neving, Minnesota, Evalina and her family moved to Rockwood, Oregon in 1923. She attended Rockwood Grade School and graduated from Gresham High School in 1933. She married Richard “Dick” Dorson Metzger on November 4, 1934. They were caretakers of the Gresham Cemetery for the first two years of their marriage. They purchased their first home on N.E. 64th in the Rose City neighborhood of Portland in 1943. During her marriage to Dick, she was a full time homemaker caring for her two children. In 1962, she worked in the Madison High School Cafeteria and later for Rigler Grade School Cafeteria. She was widowed in 1973, and remained in her home until 2003 when she moved to Willamette Luther Retirement Center in Keizer, Oregon. From 2006 to present, she received compassionate and loving care at the Emerson House, a memory care facility. Evalina was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church in N.E. Portland, PTA board member, election board vote counter, Asst. Brownie Troop leader, Cub Scout Den Mother, Little League volunteer, member of Rose City Garden Club, and a wedding server at Faith Lutheran. She loved maintaining her home, her yard, and her gardening. She was fond of her magnolia and dogwood trees, her prized begonias and fuchsias, and her many dahlias. As a young bride, she learned from her mother in law Josie Irene Metzger how to identify most plants and weeds and could give a detail description about a particular plant while walking along a nature trail. She could take a cutting or shoot and turn it into a beautiful plant. Her neighbors loved the hundred of chocolate chip cookies she baked for them through the years. She is survived by her daughter, Maryann Metzger Burgess (Roger Burgess), her son Richard Metzger (Linda Fish Metzger), granddaughters Jill Alspach-Zimmer (Richard Zimmer), and Karin Jewel Alspach Stone (Richard Stone), great granddaughters Jackie Stone and Marie Stone and great grandsons Riley Stone and Vincent Zimmer. Services will be held at Ross Hollywood Chapel 4733 NE Thompson St. Portland, OR on Tuesday May 25th 2010 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family recommends donations to The Emerson House, 3577 SE Division, Portland, OR 97214 or Alzheimer’s Association Oregon Chapter.