Minneapolis, MN - Donald Henry Metzger Sr.

June 15,1935 - July 4, 2025

Donald "Don" Metzger, age 90, of Minneapolis, Minnesota formerly of Wilmette, Illinois was born June 15, 1935 in Evanston, Illinois to Louis and Alice (Rynard) Metzger and passed away peacefully on July 4, 2025. Don is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Carol (Lindenschmidt) Metzger; loving father of Therese (Robert) McShane, Donald Metzger Jr., Joseph (Laura) Metzger, Kathleen (Brendan) Keenan, Thomas (Patty) Metzger, Stephen Metzger, Matthew (Karna) Metzger, Anthony Metzger, Jennifer (Ben) Folman and Nicholas Metzger; grandfather to 21 cherished grandchildren, one great-grandson and his brother William (Hallie) Metzger. Don was predeceased by his parents Louis and Alice Metzger, his siblings Barb (George) Voitik, Gene (Ann) Metzger, James (Susan) Metzger, and his grandson McKinley Metzger.

From his earliest days, Don was an avid outdoorsman and gifted athlete in swimming, boxing, football, and tennis. He was immensely proud of winning the Chicago city doubles championship in tennis as a teenager.

His deep faith and intellectual curiosity were shaped by the Jesuit education he received at Loyola Academy in Chicago and later Xavier University in Cincinnati. Don's education from the Jesuits laid the foundation for his lifelong faith while spawning a voracious hunger for reading about American history, Native American culture, geography, and the environment.

Don was drafted and served in the US Army from '57-'59 primarily on a base in the desert southwest. He spent his free time volunteering on the Mescalero Apache Reservation helping with the scouting program, learning the culture, and meeting people which impacted him immensely and deeply. His time in the Southwest left him with wonderful memories and life-long friends.

After meeting during college in '56, Don and Carol were married in Cincinnati, OH in May 1961. Don was employed by Pillsbury in Chicago and transferred to Minneapolis in the fall of '61.

Don enjoyed the beauty of Minnesota where he embraced the parks, woods and rivers with his family. Many winter weekends were spent with a bundled up toddler on his back while skiing the local cross country trails, followed by Carol and the older kids guiding the younger ones along. He also enjoyed spending family time camping, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, swimming, in deep discussions, and eating ice cream. There were always lots of laughs.

His love lives on in his wife Carol, ten children, twenty-one grandchildren, and a great grandchild.

The funeral mass for Don is scheduled for Thursday, July 10th at St. Olaf Catholic Church, 215 S 8th Street, Minneapolis, MN. 9:00 AM Visitation followed by 10:00 AM Funeral Mass. There will be a luncheon at the church following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Don Metzger to Friends of the Boundary Waters https://www.friends-bwca.org/memorial/ .