William (Bill) Martin Metzger, beloved partner, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor and friend, passed away on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. In his final days he was surrounded by family and friends – 21 visitors in one day was his record, a testament to the way he lived his life investing in others. Breathing became a monumental task during his hospital stay, yet he greeted each visitor with that trademark welcome that had always made each person feel like the guest of honor in his home. Ever the life of the party, he kept his composure and kept us all laughing. ICU staff told us repeatedly they had never seen anything like it.
Bill was born on December 30, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, oldest child to William Henry and Dorothy (Martin) Metzger but most of his childhood memories were of their country home in Blytheburn, Pennsylvania where he and his 4 siblings devised adventures and experiments that have become legendary. In his teens, they moved to the home they built in the small town of Mountain Top, where he returned for family visits long after he graduated high school and joined the Air Force in 1963. His time in the Air Force took him to Hawaii, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Germany, Greece, Turkey and finally, Austin, TX, where he retired as a TSGT in 1979.
His retirement years provided him the freedom to pursue many of his favorite things. He had a lifelong love of bowling and dedicated time each week to practice, competed in local leagues and even traveled to participate in tournaments several times a year. He enjoyed vacation spots and used his timeshare to its fullest but also made visiting family in Pennsylvania and his daughter and grandkids in Oregon a priority. On those family visits he was uncannily happy just fitting into whatever the local routine was. He had a deep appreciation for the little moments in life and had a way of making them all seem bigger. New Year’s Eve or a trip to the grocery store, he brought the fun wherever he went. His local family was an ongoing source of joy and entertainment. He loved a gathering – birthday, holiday, watching grandkids or nieces do their activities and performances, or just hanging out at the grill with a Manhattan.
Despite his full life, he could always be counted on by family and friends for practical, tactical support. Whether you needed help with your math homework (he devoted hundreds of hours to tutoring), a place to stay (he opened his home to many of us during difficult transitions and the time spent with him carried the bonus of a listening ear, wise advice and healing doses of laughter), a fix for your printer or computing device, a ride home or the next step in your life plan – he was there. He would show up having mulled over the problem, ready with ideas and would execute with unending patience to ensure the job was done right.
He may someday be credited for discovering, early in his adult life, the perfect outfit formula for all occasions. A plaid shirt, Bermuda shorts, crew-length socks and brown loafers somehow worked for him whether he was hosting a party, running errands, working on a project in the shed or mowing the lawn.
In the in-between times, he could probably be found puttering or pondering – two more of his favorite pastimes. He had a methodology for everything from paying bills to bowling to eating his eggs over-easy (it’s important to nail the yolk-to-toast ratio) and never met an electronic relic he did not believe he could repair and revitalize so he was never lacking a project. He had a fascination with all things scientific – he saw chemistry in cooking and grilling, botany in nurturing the plants on his patio, physics behind a game of pool or a beautiful sunset, biology in those 5-minute power naps, astronomy in the ocean waves and ALL these and more in his beloved sci-fi shows. Observation and analysis were his stock in trade and he loved to share his ponderings over anything from the smallest particles to the vastness of the universe.
He is survived by so many who loved him dearly: his partner, Sandy Rathmell; daughter, Susan Milbrandt; son, Billy Metzger and wife Bethany; grandchildren Melissa, Austin, Emily and Ryan; brothers Robert Metzger and wife Mary Ann, Brian Metzger and wife Mary, Jeff Metzger and wife Shannon; sister Marilyn Jones and husband Bernie; nieces Tracey, Kara, Laura, Sister Maria Rose, Lisa, Kate, Becky, Karisa, Brianna, Vanny; nephews Bill, Brian, Jim, Tim, Rob, Dan and Jeffrey; and friends beyond numbering. He loved well and his generosity, wit and wisdom will be treasured in countless hearts for years to come.
A memorial service will be held at Cook Walden Forest Oaks Funeral Home Chapel on Friday, January 3, 2020 at 4:00pm.
Flowers are welcome, memorial donations may be made to Central Texas Food Bank.
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