Elmer
W. Mettenbrink
Memorial
services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Messiah Lutheran Church.
The Rev. Harold Stromer will officiate. Private burial of ashes will
be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
There will be a gathering of family and friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at All
Faiths Funeral Home.
Mr. Mettenbrink was born June 19, 1924, in Grand Island, the son of Fred and
Magdelene (Nuernberger) Mettenbrink.
Survivors are his wife, Norma Jean; a son, Gale Mettenbrink of Chandler, Ariz.;
daughters and sons-in-law, Deb and Mike Shafer of Grand Island and Sue and Dewayne
Cowles of Beaver Creek, Ore.; and daughter-in-law, LaDonna Cool of Grand Island.
Those also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren, Andrew and Lindsay Mettenbrink,
Duston Larsen, Devan Schneberger, Gared Schneberger and Jennifer and Mike Ehlers;
great-granddaughter, Mackenzie; special friends, Bill McLellan and Pete and Winnie;
sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Lois and Dan Niemoth, Connie and Cliff Haynes
and Elaine and Rosie Hartmann.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister and brother-in-law, Irma
and Forrest Pollard; a grandson, Travis Larsen; and his beautiful granddaughter,
Jennifer Mettenbrink.
Following the death of his mother, Elmer was raised by his grandmother on the
family farm north of Grand Island. He graduated from Grand Island Senior High
in 1942 and entered the United States Army. Elmer served as a medic in WWII on
the European Theatre and survived the Battle of the Bulge.
He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Norma Jean Hartmann, on Sept.
22, 1946. They founded the Mettenbrink Oil Company, working tirelessly together
until 1977, when it was sold to Polland Oil. Elmer was a founding director of
the Five Points Bank and was an active businessman in the Grand Island area for
many years. Following retirement, Elmer and Norma enjoyed wintering in Arizona.
They loved spending the summers with family and friends at their home on JohnsonÕs
Lake. Elmer was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend to many.
He will always be remembered as a hardworking man of faith, with great love for
his family and country.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Messiah Lutheran Church, Christmas
Cheer or donors choice.