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- [S927] Obituary.
Lawrence John “Larry” Mettler, passed away on July 17, 2013, in Sacramento, Calif., surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with cancer. A family memorial service is planned for Aug. 24 in Sacramento. Larry was born in Mandan on Oct. 29, 1942, to William and Elizabeth (Mook) Mettler. Larry attended St. Joseph’s Grade School and Mandan High School. In the summer of 1957, while still a high school student, Larry’s family moved to Sacramento, Calif.
Larry graduated from high school in Sacramento in 1960, and shortly thereafter, Larry married his high school sweetheart, Paulette Assunto in Sacramento. Larry and Paulette had two daughters, Tammi (Cataldo) and Gina (husband, Tom Beck). During those years, Larry worked a variety of jobs, including carman on the Southern Pacific Railroad, as a milk truck delivery man, a retail manager at Montgomery Wards, as well as working as a car salesman and in the construction industry. Larry was a hard worker, supporting his young family, and he worked his way up to be a superintendent on the construction of a power plant.
Larry later remarried and two children, Matthew Mettler and Kristine (husband, Steven Brothers) were born to that union. During the 1970s, Larry owned and operated a tavern, known as the Stoney Inn, along with a couple of business partners, in Sacramento. Larry’s father, William, died in 1971, and Larry later helped to care for his mother, Elizabeth, in her later years in Sacramento. Larry was an avid sports fan, taking after his father, who was the North Dakota Commissioner of amateur baseball for the WPA (Works Projects Administration) during the 1930s. Larry was a 49’ers fan, a San Francisco Giants fan, and a fan of the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. Larry liked to tell the story of how he hitchhiked to the Twin Cities as a teenager — without parental permission — to watch George Mikan of the then NBA Minneapolis Lakers.
Probably the highlight of Larry’s later life came in 2006, when Larry assisted in bringing back to North Dakota, the repatriated remains of his older brother, Allen Mettler, who died a POW/MIA in a North Korean POW camp in 1951. Larry travelled to the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory in Honolulu, Hawaii, and returned to North Dakota with his brother’s remains, where Allen was laid to rest at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery during a repatriation ceremony on Oct. 6, 2006. Larry moved back to Mandan in 2008, to live in retirement, but his health concerns made it necessary to return to Sacramento in 2013, where Larry spent his final days. While living in Mandan, Larry sang with the Elks Men’s Chorus, was an active member of the North Dakota Historical Society and the Mandan Lions Club, and was named Mandan Lions Rookie of the Year.
Larry is survived by his daughters Tammi, Gina and Kristine, his son, Matthew, and their families, all of Sacramento; his brother, Dr. Lee Mettler and wife, Marilyn, Modesto, Calif.; two nephews, Samuel and Benjamin Mettler; four grandchildren, Armand, Casey, Nicole and Cameron; numerous cousins and many friends.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, William and Elizabeth.
For information about Larry’s memorial service on Aug. 24 in Sacramento, Matthew Mettler can be contacted at 916-265-3264.
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1942 - 2013 (70 years)