John K. Metz

John Metz, age 74 of Glenwood, died Sunday, November 2, 2025 at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. A memorial service celebrating John's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8th at Glenwood United Parish with Pastor Kelby Werner officiating. Services will be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/bSVMzFDUyGg?feature=share Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the Glenwood Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. 

John Kerry Metz was born September 5, 1951 in Browns Valley, Minnesota, the son of Edward and Marjorie Ziemer Metz.  He was the third “J” of the seven J siblings and grew up on the family farm.  He attended school in Browns Valley, later attending Wahpeton State School of Science for welding and Canby Tech for fertilizer and ag chemical management.  Throughout John’s life he worked in a variety of agricultural-related fields including ag sales, fertilizer plant management, lawn and tree care, and before retirement managed a fish replica business.

On May 26, 1973 he married his childhood sweetheart Peggy Duffield in Browns Valley.  They shared over 52 years of marriage.  They made their home first in the Twin Cities, but soon found they preferred a more rural setting to raise their family.  Their three children Nathan, Gabriel, and Jocelyn were all born in Willmar, Minnesota.  John and Peggy’s jobs then led them to moving the family to Glenwood, Minnesota in 1983.  It was there they decided to build their dream house, a log house situated on 40 acres just south of Glenwood.  John drew up plans for the house and with the help of his family, did much of the finish work.  John loved trees, so he planned the house to be built nestled in the woods surrounded by oak trees in their back yard and on the hill facing northeast.  When it came time to landscape, he did so with fieldstone taken from the property, then he and his sons planted all of the surrounding trees, with a goal of “one of each.”  To this day they are a beautiful reminder of his love of trees and nature.

John’s interests over the years included woodworking, coaching kid wrestling, hunting with friends and family, camping, and in later years enjoyed summer camp with their grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Peggy; son Nathan (Jennifer) Metz of Starbuck, son Gabriel  Metz of Glenwood, and daughter Jocelyn (Adrian) Smith of Villard; six grandchildren: Sydney, Rylee and Tyson Metz of Starbuck, Ross Metz, Chase and Harper Smith of Villard; Two brothers, Jerry (Jean) Metz of Browns Valley, MN and Jeff Metz of Jamestown, ND; and two sisters, Joan (Greg) Lien of Milbank, SD and Janna (Fred) Binder of Yankton, SD; and two brothers-in-law Terry Nelson formerly of Piedmont, SD and Myron Allrich of West Fargo, ND, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, and two sisters, Judy Nelson and Jean Allrich.

Blessed be his memory of a life well lived.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.