Alfred Joe Mettenburg

Alfred Joe Mettenburg, 87, of Princeton, Kansas, died Friday, September 6, 2024, at his home.

He was born November 13, 1936, in Sedalia, Missouri, the son of John Raus Mettenburg and Marguerite (Jaeckel) Mettenburg.  He graduated from Hughesville High School in 1955.  He then joined the United States Army, serving in the 10th Mountain Division for 3 years in Germany. He earned the expert infantry, sharpshooter, expert carbine, and expert submachine gun badges and the good conduct medal, and attained the rank of Sergeant. 

Alfred joined the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department in 1958, working briefly as a patrolman before being assigned to the crime lab.  He became a homicide detective and expert witness recognized for his specialization in latent fingerprint techniques, attending Harvard Medical School’s 32nd Seminar in Homicide Investigation for State Police in 1961.  In 1965, he moved to the Orange County, California, Sheriff’s Department as a crime scene investigator. 

In 1968, Alfred returned to Missouri to finish his education, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri in 1971. At the same time, he was employed by University of Missouri extension education as a crime scene specialist to establish training programs for rural police throughout the state, for which he secured significant federal funding. 

After graduation, he was hired as Instructor of Criminal Justice at Johnson County Community College, where he taught from 1971 until his retirement in 1999 as full professor. As a founding faculty member at JCCC, he helped shape the future of the college, including serving in the role of Ombudsman. He also launched and served as director of the Johnson County Police Academy and was instrumental in development of the Johnson County Crime Lab.  

In 1958, Alfred was united in marriage to Shirley Fidler; they later divorced. On April 28, 1967, Alfred was united in marriage to Roxanne Martin in Seal Beach, California. They shared fifty-seven spirited years of marriage, raising children, farming, traveling and navigating challenges together.

Alfred was always farming and most enjoyed raising Simmental cattle. In his later years, he enjoyed welding and woodworking, creating original pieces for family and for sale in boutique shops. He was an avid reader to his final days. Alfred was a 3rd Degree Mason in his younger years.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Marguerite Mettenburg; two daughters, Katherine Martin and Karen Mettenburg; two brothers, Howard Mettenburg and Harold Mettenburg; and two sisters, Shirley Tayler and Mary Mueller.

He is survived by his wife, Roxanne Mettenburg of Princeton, KS; a son, David Mettenburg and his wife, Kathleen, of Berryville, VA; three daughters, Julie Mettenburg and her husband, Peter Burns of Lawrence, KS, Jo Mettenburg and her husband, James Zenk of Leawood, KS, and Leslie Moore and her husband, Christopher, of Madison, WI; 10 grandchildren, Conor, Madisyn, and Piper Mettenburg of Berryville, VA, Chloe and William Burns of Lawrence, KS, Camille and Wesley Zenk of Leawood, KS, and Anna, Augustus, and Emily Moore of Madison, WI; and a sister, Marguerite Hoehns of Cole Camp, MO.

Funeral Services will be 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 28, 2024. To celebrate Alfred’s life, a visitation will be held prior to the service, at 2:00 p.m. Both will be held at Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, 325 S. Hickory St, Ottawa, KS 66067. Family will host a party afterward at The Speakeasy, 122 E. 2nd St., Ottawa. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Franklin County Democrats, University of Kansas Medical Center Cardiology Department, or Children’s Mercy Hospital and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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