El Paso Author & Historian Leon Metz Has Died

Leon Metz, author, and historian of all things Southwest and El Paso, TX, passed away at the age of 90 due to COVID-19 complications.

On November 6, Leon Claire Metz turned 90 years old, but sadly due to ongoing COVID-19 complications died a few days later, on November 15, 2020.

Metz was a historian of the Old West who authored over 15 books and was a prolific storyteller. Those very same storytelling skills were properly flexed during various TV appearances, documentaries like A&E's The Real West series, and a radio show on KTSM.

I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Metz during my early years in radio at KTSM. It was his passion for history and our city that really resonated with me as a California transplant to the Sun City.

Leon Metz was not from El Paso either, he initially was born in West Virginia, but his time in the US Air Force got him stationed at Biggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss in El Paso, where he remained until the day he died.

To this day, I can still recall his calm storytelling tone, hearty laugh, and our side, in-studio conversations.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Leon Metz, a cultural local historian who spent a lifetime bringing stories of the Southwest to life.

Anyone who wants to delve into the rich and steep history of gunslingers, Pancho Villa, or the Old West should check out Leon Metz’s book anthology, available everywhere, including Brave Books.