Shirley E. (Wilhelm) Metzger

Shirley E. (Wilhelm) Metzger, age 90 years, of Toledo, passed away at home, Thursday, April 28, 2022, after living a full life. Born to Arthur and Camilla (Sass) Wilhelm.

Surviving are her children, James A. Metzger, Thomas W. Metzger, Kathleen M. Mason (Robert) and Janet E. Coykendall (Vincent). Also surviving are six grandchildren and a great-grandaughter; brother, Allen V. Wilhelm; sister-in laws, Helen Wilhelm, Gladys Pierson and Barbara Metzger; and special friend, Carol McConnell. Shirley was preceded in death by her devoted husband, James Lawrence Metzger; sisters, Dorothy Wilhelm and Eleanor Kurasz; and brother, Vaynard Wilhelm. Shirley was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. Everyone who new her loved her feisty spirit and sense of humor. Shirley truly loved life and will live on in our hearts.

Shirley was born (small but mighty) and raised in Reynolds Corners, loving nature, donkey road and wide open spaces with her best friend and brother, Allen. She was "her father's daughter" always choosing to be in the great outdoors. She attended Martin Elementary School, never missing a school dance. She loved her time and friends at Whitney Vocational High School where she excelled in shorthand. Shirley fell in love with Jim Metzger, and they married in 1950. Jim served in the Korean War and when he returned home, they were blessed with the adoption of their four children. She was a stay-at-home mom who kept a rather large beautiful garden (weed free, thank you very much), and was said to have missed her calling as a therapist, counselling countless friends and relatives with her pearls of wisdom. She thoroughly enjoyed collecting everything antique, especially her beloved depression era glassware collection. She had a passion for family history and had a riveting story to go with every member. She never had a loss for words. Family was her biggest passion and nothing was more important than her grandchildren who she would race and arm wrestle while supplying plenty of wit and sass.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Thos. I. Wisniewski Funeral Home, 2426 North Reynolds Rd., Toledo, OH 43615, beginning at 11:00 a.m. with services to follow at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Ottawa Hills Memorial Park.

Her outlook on life was found in many beautiful poems and scripture, The House by the Side of the Road and Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 "To Every Thing There is a Season" which she referred to often. Shirley is somewhere over the rainbow and like a big wave that brought her into this life she has finally returned to the sea.

Memorial donations are suggested to the Cherry Street Mission.

www.wisniewskifuneral.net

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