HILARY “BILL” COULSON METZLER

1925-2016

Hilary “Bill” Coulson Metzler was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Archibald Charles Metzler and Ida Catherine Coulson Metzler on February 12, 1925. He lived in Catonsville, Maryland before joining the US Army at the age of 18. He served 3 years in the European theater under General Patton.

On June 5, 1948, he married Merry Rapp at the Baltimore Basilica. Bill and Merry were blessed with two daughters, Jane Anne and Sally Coulson.

Bill graduated from the University of Baltimore with a degree in accounting. He had a successful career with Exxon for 37 years in both Baltimore and Houston. He was the first of three generations now at the company.

Bill was an avid reader of historical fiction and nonfiction, reading at least one book each week until shortly before his death. A man of many interests and a remarkable memory for details, he wrote his own memoir, including hand-drawn maps and illustrations, photographs, and genealogy charts. From an early age, he had a love for music, particularly piano, and enjoyed listening to his daughter Jane play and attending Houston Symphony concerts with Sally and her husband Denney. An active member of the Gulf Coast Arabian Horse Club, he enjoyed raising and showing Arabian horses, serving as ringmaster of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Pin Oak Horse Show.

Bill passed away on August 8, 2016 after a lengthy battle with laryngeal cancer. His parents, his sister, Bernadette Perkins, and his granddaughter, Bethany Anne Wright, predeceased him. Survivors include his devoted wife Merry, daughter Jane Vanko and her husband John, daughter Sally Wright and her husband Denney, his five grandchildren: John Peter Vanko, Andrew Coulson Wright, Jacob Daniel Vanko, Megan Elizabeth Wright and Michael Denney Wright, and his seven great-grandchildren: John Arthur Vanko, Elle Theresa Vanko, Elliott Charles Vanko, Sarah Grace Wright, Chloe Coulson Wright, Oliver Cruz Vanko and Rose Louise Wright.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be on Friday, August 12, 2016 at 11 am in the sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church of Houston, 5300 South Main. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project or Boys and Girls Country, 18806 Roberts Road, Hockley, TX 77447