William Charles Metz

William Charles Metz, age 87, “the Tinsmith”, of Middle Amana, passed away Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at the Mercy Hospice House, Hiawatha. A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 19, 2021 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Marengo, with Pastor Andrew Gray officiating. Burial will be in the Middle Amana Cemetery, Middle Amana, with military honors. Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m., Sunday, April 18, 2021 at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. Memorials may be contributed to the Amana Arts Guild, Amana. Masks and social distancing are required.

William is survived by two daughters, Angela (Darren) Banko, of Muscatine and Lisa Grulke, of Des Moines; seven grandchildren, Rev. Carl (Kelsey) Grulke, of Maun, Botswana (Africa), Lisette Metz Grulke, of Atlanta, GA, Elaine (Mike) Johnson, of West Lafayette, IN, Caleb (Kelsey) Grulke, of Polk City, Luther (Lauren) Grulke, of Olathe, KS, Timothy Banko, of Cedar Rapids and Jonathan Banko, of Macomb, IL.; and eight great-grandchildren, MaryJane, Audrey, Judah, Gideon and Isaac Grulke, Moses Reed, and Henry and Wesley Johnson. He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Lisette Metz, his wife of 44 years, Audrey, a son-in-law Dennis Grulke, a sister Virginia Nordyke and a brother Dale Metz.

William was born September 19, 1933, in Middle Amana, the son of Carl and Lisette (Hahn) Metz. He graduated from Amana High School in 1951. William served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. He was united in marriage to Audrey Ellen Henderson on June 2, 1957 at the Alice United Methodist Church, in Center Point. The couple made their home in Middle Amana. William was employed in the tin shop at Quaker Oats for 25 years. He revived the art of Tinsmithing in the Amana Colonies and was a founding member of the Amana Arts Guild. He was a member of the Middle Amana Fire Department for 36 years and St. John’s Lutheran Church. William was a sports enthusiast. He was a high school baseball and softball umpire for 30 years and the official score keeper for the Amana High School basketball team. William was also a member of the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Athletic Union and the Iowa Valley Baseball League.