Lyle Metzger

Lyle J. Metzger, 83, Claypool, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.

He was born on Jan. 14, 1938 in Claypool, to Joseph and Mamie (Yonts) Metzger.

Lyle graduated from Silver Lake High School, Silver Lake, in the class of 1956. He joined the Army after high school, where he contracted polio. After fighting and winning an 18-month polio battle, he went on to work at Miller & Sons, Wholesale Electric Company, Ace Hardware and then on to one of his favorite passions (cars), selling automobiles at Munson’s Chevrolet. However, his main occupation was selling insurance at C.V. Yeager and then went on to start his own independent insurance business.

Lyle was the “energy” in the room and his liveliness was infectious. He was the dad that made sure he had the “fun house” in the neighborhood by pulling everyone around on Halloween in a hay cart, building snow ramps on the hill for sledding and clearing out the furniture in the family room for dance parties.

Lyle had a passion for classic Coke machines and classic cars and restored many of them over the years, winning two garages full of trophies at numerous car shows, including a special invitation from DisneyWorld to participate in a classic car parade. He loved his family, dancing, the outdoors, swimming, fishing, boating, mushroom hunting, making his famous “mush and eggs” for breakfast, spending time with his “buddies” and did someone say ’50s music? Lyle loved to play it in his cars, dance to it anywhere and reminisce about the “good ol’ days” while it played.

Lyle lived life to the fullest, and as one song says, he “owned every second that this world could give” and with every challenge life threw his way, he survived and found passion in his hobbies and joy in people.

Lyle is survived by his adored wife, Alice Feck Metzger; his beloved daughters, Wende (Patrick) Corcoran, JoDeane (Carl) Knowles; a sister, Norma Kirkwood; a brother, Leroy (Ruby); a granddaughter, Eileen Knowles (Scott) Nicola; and four great-grandchildren, Mason, Jackson, Dalton and Cameron.

He had one brother, Harold (Pauline) Metzger; he proceeded him in death.

A celebration of life open house service will be held in Lyle’s honor 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the Robin Hood Community Center, 1436 Camelot Drive, Winona Lake. A private family graveside service will be held on Friday, May 13, 2022, where he will be laid to rest at Graceland Cemetery, Claypool.

If you would like to make a memorial contribution in Lyle’s name, the family request donations be made to one of his favorite causes, the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kan., 66675.

Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at Redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.