Phillip Earnest Metzler

Philip Earnest “Two Dollar Phil” Metzler of Fountain Hills passed away on March 16, 2023, at the age of 85. Originally born in Chicago, Ill., on March 22, 1937, Philip was the youngest of three boys. He was always looking for ways to make a mark on this world and the people around him. A preeminent entrepreneur his entire life he promoted, started, ran and conceptualized numerous businesses and ideas. These included a teen night club, “The Better Mouse Trap,” which he started and ran in his hometown in Illinois when he was in his 20s.

Other adventures included (not in any particular order): Philip and his second wife, Jacque were members of the Management team at Cinderella Modeling Schools in Washington DC/Maryland; investing and developing Fotomat’s drive up kiosks; acting in commercials for Shell Oil; working for Disney World as a Golf Pro; training race horses at Arlington Park, Ill.; starting and running a thoroughbred transportation service with his brothers, Carry-Horse Vans; Metzler Classic Cars; real-estate broker; sales rep for “Air-Flow Tailgates;” manager of John’s Bargain stores; apartment maintenance and manager; and in the early 90s he unsuccessfully attempted to find investors to build a cultural complex in the Phoenix area which was to be composed of an Automobile Museum, Aquarium, and Space Museum.

And these are just a few of the many businesses he involved himself in. But perhaps his greatest achievement was being a father to three children, and a surrogate father to many of his children’s friends. His hyperactive and outgoing personality, teamed with his penchant for telling stories (based on facts, but heavily seasoned with poetic license) never failed to captivate the attention of others. He had mastered the ability to tell his entire life story in 15 minutes and barely took a breath in the process.

During his retirement years his energy level surpassed that of those half his age. With his third wife, they traveled the world and the Americas by motorhome. One of his favorite events was an annual classic car race that they participated in on Daytona Beach, Fla. Each year he would take a different classic car from the 1920s or 30s that he had purchased over the years and restored. One year they both had special matching race suits made for the occasion.

Every holiday was a chance for Phil to extend his loving and giving nature to those he didn’t know. It was a common occurrence to attend a family holiday gathering and be introduced to people he had met and invited to his home for the holiday. Common invites were given to people he met at the grocery store, gas station, during a round of golf, or simply walking down the street. A few times he even picked people up and drove them to and from the gathering if they could find a ride themselves. After the death of his third wife, he spent his final years traveling around the U.S. and relishing in meeting people. It was during these years he became known as “two-dollar Phil”, due to his compulsion to hand out $2 bills to those he met and spread his message of faith in Jesus. The relevance of the $2 bill blessing is it represents the relationship between “you and God” and love. Love, like the $2 bill is in abundance yet hard to find. People should not hoard love, like so many do with a $2 bill, but share it freely with one another. His heart was large, and he never ceased to give what he had to others to the point of not having much for himself. He will be remembered by those who knew him, for his larger-than-life personality, his giving nature, his stories, and his striking blue eyes that seemed to glow when he smiled. He is survived by his three adult children and four grandchildren. Services will be held privately.