Funeral services were held Monday, September 13, at First Baptist Church for the Rev. M. James Metzgar, 56, who died September 10, 1982, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha.

Dr. Heinz Grabia, the Rev. Arwayne Dexter and The Rev. Eddie Carter conducted the services. Burial was in Blair Cemetery.

M. James Metzgar was born April 13, 1926, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to James T. and Ina Marie Ebersole Metzgar. He was married to Bette Drake on February 2, 1951, in San Bernardino, California.

He served in the United States Infantry from September, 1944, to November, 19456. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and two battle stars from seven months service in the Philippine Islands. He also did 12 months occupation duty in Korea.

In January, 1950, he entered California Baptist College in Los Angeles. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and moved to Covina, California. He continued tin the Seminary and received a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1958.

He served as youth director and minister of music at First Baptist Church of Devore, California, from January, 1952, to December, 1955. He then became pastor for one year.

In February, 1957, he was called to be minister of pastoral care and evangelism at the First Baptist Church of Pomona, California. He was there for seven years and was also pastor of the Japanese Baptist Church.

He also served as pastor of Second Baptist Church of Phoenix, Arizona, in May, 1946. In 1968, he became the Christian education director at First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, Texas, where he served until 1972. In November, 1972, he was called to be the pastor of First Baptist Church of Blair.

He is survived by his wife, Bette; one daughter, Suzanne Marie Permenter of Melrose, Texas; and one son, 2nd Lt. Edward Earl Metzgar of Del Rio, Texas. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. James T. Metzgar, Blair, also survive him.

Pallbearers were Roy Brown, Ed Jipp, frank Mayo, Clyde Sappenfield, Lloyd A. Todd and Willard Warrick.

Honorary pallbearers were Buck Burke, Steve Buller, Tim Brown, Ken Cameron, Pat Kahnk, Jon Potadle, Jim Taylor, Bill Upchurch, Bill Warrick, David Warrick and Raymond Wilson.

Patricia Watts was organist.

Memorials may be given to the Heart Fund.

Campbell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements for the services.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~