Marian Loraine (Reily) Metz

The Obituary and Tribute to Marian Loraine (Reily) Metz

Marian Loraine (Reily) Metz was born on Monday February 17, 1930, in Ross, Marin County, California. She passed away peacefully on Friday July 4, 2025, in her home at Santa Rosa at the age of 95. She was preceded by the death of her parents, Edwin Findlay Reily and Charlotte May (Eklund) Reily, her sister, Bobby Nelson (Reily) and her husband James Reid Metz who had passed away in 2009.

Marian’s greatest aspiration was to be a mother, and she is survived by her six children: James R. Metz Jr, Thomas M. Metz, Bonnie D. Buckingham, Cathy A. Pearson, Daniel P. Metz, and Nancy S. Conolley, and 16 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. “A mother holds her children’s hands for a while, but their hearts forever.” She not only impacted her children’s lives but many of the children’s friends that lived in their home as well.

Marian was a very kind, creative, and talented person. She enjoyed people and was warm, friendly, and genuine. She had a mind of her own and was able to stand up against anyone that was wanting to sway her from her beliefs. Marian was an avid reader, a lover of animals, great at sewing, knitting, crocheting, drawing, and she even made seat covers for her son’s 1955 Volkswagen Bug. Whenever Easter approached, you would find her working on matching Easter dresses for herself and her 3 girls. She was also in the garden club and won dozens of 1st and 2nd place ribbons for her floral designs.

Marian was seven years old when the Golden Gate Bridge was completed. San Francisco opened the bridge for foot traffic only, so she and her family were among the first to walk nearly two miles to the foot of Market Street. Marian loved the “City”. She grew up in and around San Rafael, so the “City” was always but a stone’s throw away. She would dress in her best Sunday clothes to go shopping, which was customary for the times. To get to the “City” she boarded a ferry in San Rafael and travelled across the waters of the Golden Gate Strait to reach San Francisco. Riding the ferry added a lot of excitement to the trip.

Marian attended Galileo High School in San Francisco and had an ambition to become a fashion designer. She enjoyed keeping up with the lives of celebrities. She enjoyed music, singing, and dancing. Her cousins and friends would get together at their family apartment and dance to the latest tunes. That love for music continued into her later years in the Rincon Valley Mobile Estates with her friends and neighbors as she joined many outdoor sing-alongs during Covid. She and her neighbors would sit outside their homes as someone played the ukulele and started the singing. Dozens of voices could be heard throughout the streets singing from old folk songs to the music of the Beatles.

Marian lived a full, beautiful life: one marked by love, challenge, creativity, compassion, patience, forgiveness and strength. We are better for having been loved by her. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

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