Dorothy F. "Dottie" Metzler

May 31, 1941 - January 9, 2017

Dorothy F. Metzler, 75, of Mount Joy, best known as "Dottie" or the "Potato Lady," passed away on Monday, January 9th 2017 after a brief illness.   Dottie was born on May 31, 1941 in Macon, Georgia to Willie McKinnon and Alma Burks. She was the loving wife of the late George H. Metzler who died in 1997. Dottie and her husband George began a potato brokerage business in the mid-1990s known as Metzler Systems, Inc. Dottie very actively continued to work in her business after George's death and until her death.  Dottie and her husband raised many State Champion Polled Hereford cattle on their "Salunga Acres Farm" in West Hempfield Township which was sold shortly after George's death in order to focus on the potato business. She was a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church of Mount Joy and the Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce and provided potatoes for the annual chicken barbecue. Dottie annually contributed generously to the Chamber banquet.  For many years Dottie was active with the Elizabethtown Fair and the Manheim Farm Show, always buying a steer to support 4H and FFA students. Dottie was an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Mount Joy and supplied potatoes for the "Fry Wagon." for over 16 years.  The Rotary Club of Mount Joy recently established the Dorothy Metzler Humanitarian Award in honor of her humanitarian works through the Rotary Foundation and in the Mount Joy community. Always a generous and charitable person, it was not uncommon for Dottie to go to K-Mart or other department stores and pay the balance due on lay-away's for families to enjoy a Merry Christmas. Many times, Dottie purchased numerous barbeque tickets and distributed them to nursing homes or families in the community.  In addition, she always contributed generously to the Mount Joy Food Bank/Helping Services and at Christmas time purchased cases of fruit for distribution. A favorite past-time was a get-away to Atlantic City and numerous friends were invited to go on these jaunts. Dottie had an upcoming trip planned and unfortunately was unable to carry out that last get away.  Dottie was a gracious hostess, loved to entertain and thoroughly enjoyed when friends dropped in to visit. She was very thoughtful, fun loving, and had many friends in the Mount Joy area and from the far South to the far North due to the connections she made in the potato business. She will be greatly missed by all.  She was an avid reader and always had one or more books lying around that she was reading. In an annual Thanksgiving evening tradition, Dottie turned on the lights to display the many Christmas decorations in her front yard which were a pride and joy to her and which the community looked forward to every year. Visitors came from far and wide to see the annual display. Dottie is survived by her son Raymond (Tonya) Carmean, Orangeville; a daughter Deborah (Bob) Hess Marietta; and by stepchildren, George H. (Candy) Metzler, Jr., Lancaster; Deborah S. Hoffman, Lancaster; and Pamela (Ernie) Givler, Lititz.  She is also survived by a brother Willie B. McKinnon, and sisters Joanne Brown, Betty Smith, Ruth Krantz, Ann Brown, all of Florida, and Cathy Chandler of Georgia.  Grandchildren Nicole (Brian) Martin, Mount Joy; John (Nicole) Hess, Park City MT; Chris (Tiffany) Hess, of Shaefferstown, PA; Kelly Schaeffler of  Hamburg PA, and Colt Carmean of Orangeville, PA and 13 Great Grandchildren.  In addition to her husband George, she was predeceased by her stepdaughter Cynthia Haebler and stepson Jeffrey D Fryberger. A Funeral Service honoring Dottie's life will be held at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 37 East Main Street, Mount Joy PA ( please use the entrance in the rear of the church) on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 11 AM.  Interment to follow in the Mount Joy Cemetery.  A public viewing with be held on Wednesday evening January 11th, 2017 at the Sheetz Funeral Home, Inc., 16 East Main Street, Mount Joy, from 5 to 8 PM.  Please Note: There will be no public viewing on Thursday morning, however Dottie's family will receive friends from 10 to 11 AM at St. Marks.   In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that contributions be made to the Rotary Club of Mount Joy, "Dorothy Metzler Humanitarian Award," PO Box 553, Mount Joy PA 17552.