Leota June Mettling, age 93, of Lake Jackson, Texas, passed away on November 3, 2017 in the loving hands of her daughter Deanne and her husband Marv Amerine. She was born June 10, 1924 to Ross and Lizzie Crawford in Seward, KS, south of Great Bend. The family moved around for many years to different farms, mainly north of Greensburg, KS. Leota graduated from Greensburg High School and was the only one of the 5 children to graduate.Leota June Mettling, age 93, of Lake Jackson, Texas, passed away on November 3, 2017 in the loving hands of her daughter Deanne and her husband Marv Amerine. She was born to Ross and Lizzie Crawford in Seward, KS, south of Great Bend. The family moved around for many years to different farms, mainly north of Greensburg, KS. Leota graduated from Greensburg High School and was the only one of the 5 children to graduate.
She met the love of her life on Main Street of Greensburg, KS, and married him 5 months later in Centerview, KS, on November 14, 1942. She was living with Wayne’s parents near Lewis, KS, when their daughter Linda Deanne was born while he was overseas as part of the Allied Forces occupying Japan after WWII.
She and Wayne lived in the following cities: Lewis, Winfield, Montezuma, Kinsley, and Great Bend, all in Kansas. They moved to Lake Jackson, Texas in 1995 to be close to their daughter Linda Deanne and family. Wayne passed away May 25, 1997.
Leota enjoyed sewing and made many of her own and her daughter’s clothes. She expressed her innate creativity in a variety of crafts. She passed on her love of crafts to her granddaughter Kirsty and great-granddaughter Abby. A favorite pastime was playing games with friends and family. She greatly enjoyed traveling with her family and had traveled through most of the 50 states.
She was a life-long Republican, proudly believing in our duty to be informed and vote. It was important to her in recognizing that our United States of America was founded on Christian principles. She was not shy in sharing her patriotism and encouraging others.
In earlier years she was on committees at Trinity United Methodist Church in Great Bend, Kansas and Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Lake Jackson. Her friends and fellow Christians were important to her. She moved to Hearthstone Assisted Living in 2010 which later became Elmcroft Senior Living. Her ministry there began with serving others with friendship, giving directions, and giving voting advice.
We know that Leota would be honored if donations were made in her memory to one of her favorite charities: Billy Graham Evangelism Association, Covenant House of Texas, and Prison Fellowship Ministry, or Chapelwood UMC.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Wayne, parents Ross and Lizzie Crawford; 3 brothers Lewie, Frank, and Ross Jr.; sister Erma Woods; parents-in-law Ora and Daisy Mettling, brothers-in-law Ray and Betty Mettling, Carl and Frances Mettling, Harold Mettling, and Gordon and Velma Mettling.
She is survived by her daughter Linda Deanne and husband Marv Amerine, grandson Dan Amerine of Tulsa, granddaughter Kirsty and husband Brad Merrell and great granddaughter Abby Merrell of Katy, TX, nephew David and wife Carol Woods of Chouteau, OK, niece-in-law Pat Crawford of Hutchinson, KS and cousins Leila Griffitt of Ellinwood, KS and Karen Post of Great Bend, and Byron Healzer of Lake St. Louis, MO. Since Wayne was one of five boys, Leota is survived by many Mettling nieces and nephews and her special sister-in-law Cora Mettling of Udall, KS.
Friends are invited to a visitation with the family from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, November 9, 2017, at Chapelwood United Methodist Church. A celebration of Leota’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 10, 2017, at Chapelwood.
Visitation in Great Bend, KS, at Bryant Funeral Home from 6:00 – 8:00 pm on Sunday, November 12. Visitation also from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Monday. Funeral service at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, KS, at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 13. Burial will be next to her beloved husband 2:00 p.m. at Wayne Cemetery in Lewis, KS.
Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net
Arrangements by Bryant Funeral Home 1425 Patton Road Great Bend, Kansas 67530