John R. Metcalf left behind this world on February 4, 2025 after saying goodbye to his family and friends. He held those connections close as he joined those who passed before him. John was born in Bozeman, Montana on June 18, 1932. He lived and died a couple of miles from where he grew up, south of Bozeman along Sourdough Creek.
John was no stranger to hard work or adversity, being born during the Great Depression. His family farmed the leased place they lived on, cut hay, milked up to 14 cows daily, grew their own food and pulled their water from a spring near the house. He told us a story of harvesting peas behind a team of horses, he was 8 or 9 years old. A lightning bolt struck in front of him, the horses spooked and he fell off into a shallow ditch and the mower passed over him. He had a combination of natural skill and luck that served him well in life. When he was a young boy, he went to Leverich Country School on a horse (with 2 brothers piled on with him) or behind the horse on a sleigh when the snow was deep. He graduated from Gallatin County High School in 1951 and took a job at the Ennis Fish Hatchery. That job was cut short by service to his country.
John Metcalf served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1951 to 1955,
enlisting at 19. He became a Machinist’s Mate, maintaining and repairing mechanical systems on large naval ships. His service alternated between six-month deployments at sea and six months ashore, during which he trained extensively to master the complex machinery aboard the ships. He also witnessed the Navy’s transition to using computers for mechanical troubleshooting. After his discharge from active duty, John returned to Montana, and continued his service with 4 years in the Navy Ready Reserve.
Upon his return to Bozeman, John married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Griffin, and together they raised three daughters: Julie, Nancy, and Naomi. John was a union bricklayer and stone mason for over 30 years. He laid brick on many buildings in Bozeman and later specialized in stone work, building beautiful fireplaces and patios. Later, he worked for the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department.
John was a master gardener, raising large vegetable gardens every summer and tending to an orchard of apple trees. He was a big game hunter from his early years, harvesting deer and elk to feed his family. We remember him riding down the canyon road, long after dark, on the horse with an elk across the saddle he had harvested on the mountain that day. He shared those keen hunting instincts with his family and was so proud of an ethical harvest and a freezer full of elk meat for the winter.
John is predeceased by his wife Ruth, and survived by his children and spouses – Julie and Jeff Chaffee of Clancy, Nancy and Gabriel Loeza of Bozeman, Naomi and Ross Gaunt of Livermore, CA. He was Grandad to 4 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Letha and WR, two sisters, Katherine and June, and two brothers, Robert and Roy. His brother Perry survives him.
John had deep connections to his friends and neighbors, establishing lasting friendships. We will miss his stories of the early days, his simple truths, and his love.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
