Larry Metge, age 88, of Marshalltown, passed away on Saturday night, November 23rd, at the Iowa River Hospice Home with his family at his side.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 27th, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with Pastor Gregg Davison officiating. He will be laid to rest with full military honors provided by the Combined Honor Guard of the American Legion and VFW in the Marshalltown area, in the Riverside Cemetery. Visitation will be held, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Tuesday, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the Trinity Lutheran Church or Iowa River Hospice.
Born on January 3rd, 1936, in State Center, he was one of six children born to William and Leora (Gerke) Metge. He graduated from the State Center High School in 1953 and later Marshalltown Community College. Larry served our country honorably in the United States Navy from 1955 until 1957, stationed on the USS Salamonie.
On September 8th, 1956, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Beverly Smith, at the Elim Lutheran Church in Marshalltown. After his discharge from the Navy, the young couple farmed north of State Center for one year until moving to Marshalltown.
Larry was employed at KIOWA for 24 years. While at KIOWA, he served as president of the Central Iowa Purchasing Association and was on the Iowa Products Committee for many years. In 1986, he became co-owner of Landon-Landon until retirement.
After retirement in 1999, he and Bev moved to the Okoboji area to enjoy retirement and make many memories with the family. Fishing and boating along with family and friends were the treasures of those years. This past June, they moved back to Marshalltown. The Metges are members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake.
Left to cherish his memory are Bev, his loving wife of 68 years; daughter, Jana L. Metge of Minneapolis; son, Todd (Lila)of Marshalltown; two precious granddaughters – Ashley (Chad) Van Rees of Cedar Falls, IA and Shannon Metge of Denver, CO; three great-granddaughters – Morgan, Oaklyn, and Aspen, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
In death, Larry rejoined his parents, three brothers – Wayne, Bill, and Bob, and a sister Lorine Collins as well as an infant brother, Raymond.
