Margie Metz

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Margie Ellen Metz, a loving mother, dedicated nurse, and resilient polio survivor, who left us peacefully on June 28, 2025. Born on October 14, 1953, in Plainwell, Michigan, she lived a life full of courage, compassion, and unwavering strength. She was a passionate lover of history and the written word.

Margie was a woman who overcame great odds. At 11 months, she was diagnosed with polio, but rather than let this define her, she fought through it with an indomitable spirit, pushing herself to lead an active and vibrant life. When she was told she could not do something by a doctor she proved them wrong time and time again. Her personal journey inspired everyone who knew her, and she became a symbol of perseverance and hope.

As a nurse, she devoted her career to caring for others, offering not only her medical expertise but her warmth and compassion to every patient she encountered. Her colleagues often remarked on her tireless work ethic and her ability to bring comfort in the most challenging of circumstances. Whether in the hospital, community health clinics, or at home, her passion for helping others never wavered.

Above all, Margie was a beloved mother and grandmother, whose love and support shaped the lives of her children and grandchildren. Her wisdom, kindness, and sense of humor created a family bond that will continue to carry on in her memory.

Known for her green thumb, Margie found joy in the earth beneath her hands. Her garden was her sanctuary, a place where she found peace and shared her love of nature with others. Her ability to transform any plot of land into a vibrant, thriving space reflected her nurturing spirit. In later years she was not physically able to do as much gardening but still enjoyed watching the beauty of growth and renewal, both in her garden and in the lives of those she touched.

A lifelong student of the past, Margie found joy and meaning in the pages of history books and could lose herself for hours in the stories of those who came before. She believed that by understanding history, we better understand ourselves — and she passed that passion on to all who knew her.

She had a particular fondness for the works of Edgar Allan Poe, whose melancholy beauty and deep introspection mirrored her own depth of thought. She found solace and strength in his words, and through them, she taught those around her to appreciate the art of language, even in its darkest shades. The quote that she liked to use “It Was Never Meant To Be”.

Margie is preceded in death by parents: John and Gwendolyn (Standish) Metz, niece: Audra Sue Landon and both sets of grandparents: John & Rose (Dyer) Metz and Alley & Ethel (Riley) Standish.

She is survived by her children: Jeannie and Robert Hammer, Cassandra and Oldrich Krcma, grandchildren: Zoey Ellen, Ian Robert, Michael Aaron Hammer, Hanna Nicole and Megan Rose Alley; one great-grandchild: Aiden Michael Hammer; siblings: Susan and Edwin Landon & Terri and Robert Colburn as well as several adored nieces and nephews, and many dear friends who cherished her.

Visit with family and friends on Monday, July 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at by Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Home; 120 S. Woodhams St. Plainwell, MI 49080. A service to celebrate her life will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Centrica Hospice of Southwest Michigan & American Breast Cancer Society, are organizations close to her heart.

Margie’s legacy of resilience, kindness, and love will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. She will be deeply missed but forever remembered.

While visiting Margie’s webpage at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please sign the guestbook and/or share a memory with the family.