Steward D. Mettler, 92

Steward Dward Mettler, 92, went home to be with his Lord on April 20, 2019, at the Knife River Care Center in Beulah, ND. Stew was born on December 7, 1926, to Howard and Eva Lauree Warren Mettler on their farm north of Lovewell, KS. He was the second of four children. He graduated from Lovewell High School and joined the Army 82nd Airborne as a paratrooper. After his discharge from the army, he attended Kansas State University and graduated with a degree in Geology. He later obtained a certificate of business wit and a Bible certificate from Moody Bible Institute. Stew spent 20 years working with major corporations such as Martin Marietta and Amax and rose to Director of Engineering Services with the third largest coal company in the United States.
Steward married Barbara Jean Cannon in 1952 and to that union were born Phyllis and Keith. Though successful in the business world, Stew's heart was in Christian service. As they moved from Iowa to Indiana to Montana and back to Indiana Stew was always active in church administration. Stew and Barb, along with a small group of others, started Cedar Valley Bible Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Their last move was to Princeton, Indiana, where Barbara died in 1988. Stew became part owner of Princeton Electric Motors and started working on his own as a geologist. Prior to retiring he worked independently with several companies acquiring leases and rights for coal, oil, and heavy minerals throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountains. He researched the now Dakota Gasification Company area near Beulah, ND, trying to get leases for his company to build a plant but they were not successful with getting all the water rights needed at the time.
Stew retired in 1992 and immigrated to Canada to be near his daughter and her husband. He became Chaplin and "Camp Grandpa" at Torch Trail Bible Camp in Saskatchewan, Canada. While at the camp Stew began corresponding with Viola Hubbard and at the urging of their families Viola went to camp as the cook. By the end of that camp season in 1995 they were married at the camp. Then began 10 years of travel and short-term ministries in 8 different countries-Haiti, Poland, Switzerland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Guyana, and Panama. They traveled the United States and Canada in their fifth wheel camper ministering in camps and Bible schools. Many of their ministries were to teach missionary children and cook, speak, and do maintenance at camps or training facilities. Stew and Vi retired to Trinidad, CO, in 2004 and began work with the Gideons ministry. Stew presented the ministry stories and objectives and Viola played her marimba. In 2011 they sold their home in Colorado and moved to Blaine, MN. They again worked with their Gideon ministry and with Vacation Bible Schools. Because of declining health, Vi went into a memory care facility and Stew moved to Beulah, ND, in 2015 to be close to his children.
Survivors include his wife Viola Mettler, Blaine, MN; son Keith (Susan) Mettler, Beulah, ND; son-in-law Daniel (Valerie) Moulton, Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Canada; sister Janice (Butch) Stratman, Clay Center, NB; 3 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren Karl (Heidi) Mettler, Lily, Isaac, and Maggie, Berne, IN; Sam (Lacey) Mettler and Harper, Mandan, ND; and Sarah Mettler, Layla and Noah, St. Cloud, MN; Vi's 4 sons and grandchildren Perry Hubbard; Tim (Jane) Hubbard; Stirling Paul (Mindi) Hubbard; and Daniel (Julie) Hubbard; several nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Those who preceded him in death were his parents Howard and Lauree Mettler; his first wife Barbara; daughter Phyllis Moulton; brothers and sisters-in-law Don Mettler and wife Doris and Willard Mettler and wife Margaret; nephew Mark Mettler; and step-daughter-in-law Nancy Hubbard.
A memorial service had taken place at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Beulah, ND, on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Cremation has taken place.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to Gideon's International, P. O. Box 118, Hazen, ND 58545.
A Graveside Memorial Service with military honors is scheduled for Monday, June 10, 2019 at 10:00 am in the Fairview Cemetery with Erik Johanson as the minister.