‘Giving, loving, wonderful:’ remembering David and Jan Metzig

TOWN OF WOLF RIVER, Wis. (WBAY) - Friends and family are preparing to lay to rest a well-known and respected couple found dead in their Town of Wolf River home.

“They were just fun, giving, loving, wonderful people...”

Those are just some words used to describe David and Jan Metzig by family friend, Riley Johnson.

The pair welcomed five sons and grandchildren during their 49 years of marriage.

“Dave and Jan were just amazing people... Dave with Boy Scouts where I knew him. He mostly had a lot of really goofy unruly kids to deal with and he did it amazingly...” Johnson said, referring to David’s time as his scout leader. “Jan was just like your quintessential mom. She had a bunch of boys who were a lot of characters and she was always smiling, always providing.”

The couple spent the last four decades keeping the Union Star Cheese Factory in Winnebago County running smoothly. David and Jan took over the family business in 1980, becoming the third generation to own and operate the Zittau factory.

They valued family time, even raising their sons in a home above the shop.

“You couldn’t separate them from the cheese but at the same time it wasn’t who they were. They were just good, good people and people’s friends and mom and dad to their boys,” Johnson explained. “I just want people to know they did it right. They were just really good people. They were friendly people they were invested in their friends. They were invested in their community. They were invested in their family.”

David and Jan gave that same love and care to their employees and customers, making sure everyone who walked through the Union Star doors felt welcomed.

Lewin Funeral Home told Action 2 News, “David and Jan met lots of people through their business and treated everyone very kindly.”

According to their obituary, David enjoyed hunting, gardening and projects at the farm, while Jan preferred cooking, beekeeping, hosting and taking care of her boys.

“They were always open to giving, giving, giving, whether it was through scouts or whether it was through their church or their kids friends. They were always just the epicenter of everything that was going on in that small town,” Johnson expressed.

The funeral home said there’s been a massive outpouring of support from community members purchasing flowers and trees to grow in the couple’s memory.

A couple rooted in love, faith and family, who may be gone but will never be forgotten.

Funeral services are set for March 24 and 25 at Calvary Bible Church in Neenah.

You can click here to leave a memory or purchase flowers and trees in their memory.

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