Mary Jane Metzger

Larchwood, IA Mary Jane Metzger, age 71 of Larchwood, IA died Monday, March 29, 2010, at the Hospice Cottage in Luverne, MN. Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 3rd at Seeds of Faith Methodist Church in Lester, IA with Pastor Don Nelson, officiating. Visitation will be Friday, April 2nd from 3:00- 7:00 p.m. with the family present at the Seeds of Faith Methodist Church in Lester. In lieu of flowers, memorials may direct to: Handi Riders in Sioux Falls, SD or Hospice Cottage in Luverne, MN. Mary Jane Metzger was born September 1, 1938 at Malden, Massachusetts to John A. and Mildred Johnston Lutes. She spent her early years in Winchester, Massachusetts. She graduated from Norwood Massachusetts High School. After graduation from Katherine Gibbs School, she worked in advertising in Boston. She moved to Sioux Falls in 1962 where she was employed by KSOO and then IBM. She met Donald Metzger in 1964 in Sioux Falls, and they were married on October 2, 1964 in Lester, IA They spent their married life dairy farming and she assisted her husband in their registered Jersey dairy. She was active in the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club and was secretary for a number of years. She was a founding member of the Lester Betterment Group. She was a member of the Lyon County Dairy Association and a 4-H leader for many years. She operated the Cottage Decorator in Larchwood and Rock Rapids, IA and was a design consultant for Baldridge and Associates Architect and Engineers of Sioux Falls, SD. Her most satisfying design projects were the restoration of the Rock County courthouse and the Hospice Cottage in Luverne, MN. At age 60, she pursued her life long interest in horses and owned and raised quarter horses. Her favorite pastimes were riding with Hags on Nags , researching the genealogy of her family, gardening, and remodeling and design projects. Her special interests were her children and grand children. She is survived by her husband, Donald and their children and their spouses; John and Peggy (Ellsworth) Metzger of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their sons Andrew and Ryan; Lloyd and Mindy (Gabriel) Metzger of Bruce, South Dakota and their daughters Gabrielle and Carissa; and Jennifer and Brett Puetz of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota and their daughter, Shelby. She is also survived by two sisters, Linda Lutes of Basking Bridge, NJ and Georgia Harris of Keene, NH. Mary Jane was preceded in death by her parents.