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by DAVID A. METZLER
ELERT ZECHNER
Elert Zechner from Graz, Austria joined the SHS class of 1960 in the fall of 1959 when he arrived in Springfield as an American Field Service (AFS) student hosted by the Metzler family. As an excellent student with a competititve nature academically he managed to put his brother to shame even though English was not his first language. Athletically he was a superb skier as are all Austrians he would say.
Upon graduation from SHS, Zech returned to Austria where he entered the University of Graz and began his studies to become a doctor. By 1969 he had completed his studies and requisite internships and was graduated as a Doctor of Ophthalmology. Soon thereafter he opened his practice in the town of Feldbach an hour drive from Graz and married his long time friend and former AFS student, Frederika, who had lived a year with a family in North Carolina.
As Zech's family began to grow, two daughters and a son, he also began making family visits to his AFS American parents who by this time had moved from Springfield. He also visited Dave on many occasions in various parts of the world, as well as on Cape Cod.
Visits to Zech, apart from touring his beautiful homeland, provided Dave with the opportunity of sharing his own passion for stamp collecting with Zech and each helped the other with their specialty, Zech's being the collection of all UN stamps issued from the four international issuing centers, one of which is the UN in New York City and another in Vienna, Austria. Zech also raised a first class botanical collection of cacti from around the world in his state of the art greenhouse.
Dispite a serious skiing injury, which, after surgery, resulted in one leg being an inch shorter than the other, Zech continued to ski, meeting up with Dave and Sue Jones Pelton for a wonderful week of skiing at the famous Austrian ski resort in Lech in 2000.
Then, quite unexpectedly, shortly after returning to his home from a three day motorcycle tour through the Austrian Alps with close friends, Zech collapsed and died from a massive brain aneurysm in June 2000, ending prematurely the life of a wonderful classmate, doctor, father and dear friend.
Dave Metzler and Elert Zechner 1993 - TWO CHARACTERS ENJOYING LIFE
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Curtis Blake
Elert was a joy to have as a part of our class and I was saddened to learn of his passing.
I know that he enjoyed the time as a classmate and as a friend to many of us. I also know that he is smiling down on us 'cause as his yearbook picture says, " The smile that won't come off."
Kathleen Yoxtheimer (Shelton)
When I think about Elert, a smile comes to me remembering the good times we shared in high school. Thanks to Dave Metzler, I was able to reconnect with Elert 40 years later via fax! It was a special treat. He wrote that he had studied medicine and become a physician. He had married and had children. He was excited about touring around on his motorcycle and was looking forward to our 40th reunion, and so much more. Always, Elert will remain in my memory and heart as someone special.