Richard Forrest Metzler, a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away on Sunday, August 5. He was 65. Richard (along with his twin brother Roy Eric) was born in Los Angeles on September 6, 1946 to Roy Metzler and Betty Beal Metzler, joining older sister Joanne Elizabeth.’The family moved to Pacific Palisades in 1951, providing the Metzlers with a perfect place to raise their children. Richard enjoyed sports, including playing PPBA baseball at the park with the Phillies organization. He attended Palisades Elementary, Paul Revere Junior High and the new Palisades High School.’He was also involved in scouting and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Richard was a handsome and outgoing young man. Early on he showed a tender, kind and loving nature and a sensitivity to and empathy for those shunned or bullied by others.’ In high school Richard was very popular.’He was elected senior class vice president for the first three-year class to graduate in 1964. After graduation, Richard enlisted in the Air Force in April 1966 and was sent to Tennessee.’He served in Okinawa, Thailand and Vietnam.’He was honorably discharged in 1970. Richard held various positions, working for Norris Hardware, the Santa Monica School District, the Palisadian-Post and Merrihew Nursery.’He also had his own landscaping business.’While working at Merrihew, he took care of importing and acquiring rare plants. As an arborist, he could readily identify exotic and rare plant species. In addition to gardening and landscaping, Richard enjoyed listening to jazz and had a deep love for animals. Four years ago, he moved to Arizona and settled in Chandler, where he held several different positions in landscaping and construction. High school classmates remembered him as ‘approachable,’ ‘down-to-earth,’ ‘a nice person,’ ‘a good listener,’ ‘one in a million,’ ‘one of the really great guys,’ and ‘we all loved him.” Others said ‘Richard was always my ideal of the all-American boy,’ and ‘I loved his warm smile and the enthusiastic greeting he always gave me.’ Richard is survived by his brother Eric, his sister Joanne Rimkus, family and friends. Services were private and military honors were bestowed.’ In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Richard’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4150 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (visit support.woundedwarrior project.org) or to American Legion Post 283, 15247 La Cruz Dr., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (visit www.legion.org).
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