Francis Mettler

Francis Mettler, longtime resident of County Road 129, died at Bethany Village in Horseheads following a recent hospitalization.

Francis was born in Ithaca on January 2, 1927, attended Trumansburg High School and was drafted by the US Army in 1945.  He was self-employed as a roofer, installing 100’s of roofs in the local area, and then became a painter for the IUPAT Local #178 of Ithaca, and worked at Cornell University for many years before his retirement.  He was a proud member of the American Legion Post #463 in Ovid and the South Seneca Sportsmen’s Club.

He is survived by his children, Victor J. Mettler of Virginia, Debra Mettler of Elmira Heights, and a daughter in law, Susan Mettler of Elmira; his grandchildren, Melissa (Ernie) Mettler of Horseheads, Amanda (Fred) Dove of Elmira, Matthew (Cassie) Ayers of Fleming Island, FL; great grandchildren, Miranda, Ernie, Kaitlynn and Makayla, Jarred and Alicia, Mason and Westin and 11  great great grandchildren; his step children, Albert Hughes Jr. of Syracuse, Geoffrey Hughes of Seneca Falls, Russell Hughes of Trumansburg, Lois Hughes of Horseheads, and Virginia Cirillo of Savannah.  Francis was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth and her husband, Leon Grover Sr.; his wife, Estella in 2008, and by his son, Danny in addition to his siblings, Esther Thomas, Betty Grover and Leon Grover Jr.

Francis will be laid to rest with military honors at 2:00pm on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at NYS Veterans Cemetery-Finger Lakes in Romulus. 

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