Bobbie Ray Metzler (Bob) was born November 11, 1937, to Bill and Ola Metzler on their family farm east of Leedey and closed his life's book at Homestead Assisted Living in Elk City, Oklahoma, Sunday evening, August 24, 2025.

Bob attended Centerpoint School through his third grade year and when the area country schools closed, Bob and the other kids started school in Leedey in about 1945.  Bob graduated with the class of 1956.  He had plenty of stories about those classmates.  His aunt, Frady Ferrell Holcomb, was one of his Centerpoint teachers along with Imogene Graybill Rounds and Emory Fairchild.  His Aunt Frady always said how smart Bob was in school.

Bob and his older brother Billy would meet up with cousins Darla Jean and Carlene Holcomb and walk the remaining mile south across the pasture to Centerpoint.  He always talked about how much fun they had together.

Bob started driving the Leedey school bus while he was still in high school and he said he earned $3.75 per day.  He was rich! He said his take home was about $50/month.  So, he bought a car and payments were, yep, $50/month.

After graduation he continued to drive the bus and later he started working as a parts man for the "Ford Garage" as we knew the Ford dealership.  Over the years, he won multiple awards from Ford for Outstanding Service.  He continued with Kauk Ford until Emit and Ronnie closed the dealership in the early 1980's.

Bob then helped his brother Billy run Rhea Store (Metzler's Grocery) until Billy's death in 1983.  He continued to farm and later started helping his friends Glenn and Jean Britton, with their farming and ranching until Bob's retirement.  RETIREMENT!!

Retirement meant more dominoes, more trips to the mountains, more opportunities to eat out at Elk or Woodward, more reading, more coin collecting and it guaranteed the 10, 2, and 4 Dr. Pepper breaks.  Breaks that lasted until he opened his last can last Sunday!! You didn't mess with his Dr Pepper.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents Bill and Ola Metzler, brother Billy and Billy's wife, Joyce.

At 87, Bob has said goodbye to many of his family, classmates of Centerpoint and Leedey, and friends from all over.  But, he is survived by a pretty big bunch of bus riders, a bunch of us who needed Ford parts, some traveling buddies, some fellow treasure seekers, explorers adventurers, hunters, fishermen, and some of us who share his love for his mother's Afghans and perfectly round white biscuits.

We will miss him.

Memorial donations may be made to the

Leedey Ambulance or Center Point Cemetery

c/o Shaw Funeral Home

P.O. Box 276

Vici, OK 73859.