History of Ray Mettetal

Raphael (Ray) started his first greenhouse around 1910 at Schoolcraft and St. Mary Ave. in Redford, on 20 acres he purchased from his uncle Theophilus Mettetal.

At the time, Stella was studying piano at the Detroit Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated on 2 June 1910. She sold eggs from her parents’ farm to raise the money she needed to attend. One of her classmates was Della Mettetal Kuster, Ray's sister, who introduced them to each other. Della, who became a vocal teacher in the Detroit Public Schools, is the author of the 1965 edition of the Genealogical Record of the Mettetal Family (1728-1965).

In the summer of 1920, after their first three children (Raphael, Mary and Robert) were born, Ray and Stella sold the farm in Redford and moved to Canton.

They purchased 20 acres on the west side of Lilley Road, and 80 acres on the east side. The cost of land was less in Canton than in Redford, and it was still close to Detroit, where Ray operated Western Market Stall #100 for many years, where he was known as "Cauliflower King". Other Redford area farmers later followed Ray's example and moved to Canton.

They moved into an old house on the east side of Lilley Road. That fall they added the first of three (Edith, Virginia, and Eli) children to be born while they lived in the old Canton house. In 1924, Ray designed and built a new home for his growing family. Located on the west side of Lilley, the two-story brick house contained oak floors and a fireplace flanked by beveled glass bookcases. It provided the family with five bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms. Ray also added a three-car garage that was later converted in to an apartment.

While living in their new home, their last four children (Nelda, Esther, Lewis, and Marvin) were born.

Ray was very active with the Masons, becoming Redford's 21st Master back in 1915. He remained active as a Past Master, installing around the state. He obtained two patents; one for a paper mulcher, and one for the design of conservatory benches for greenhouses. He was fond of bowling, horseshoes, billiards, checkers, chess, and playing cards. Stella taught piano, and was active in the garden club, the Grange, the PTA at Hough School, and the Eastern Star. She taught all her daughters to sew and encouraged them in the 4-H. She also encouraged music in the home.

Ray and Stella were faithful and active church members. Stella played the organ for Calvin Presbyterian, and sang in the choir at Plymouth Presbyterian Church. Ray also sang in the choir, served as alderman, and was Superintendent of the Sunday School. Stella's love for church-going is credited by her children for saving their lives one Saturday night in 1935. With the family asleep, Stella stayed up late washing clothes for the family to wear to church and Sunday School. When smoke began filtering into the kitchen from the basement, she roused the family and everyone got out safely. Ray, who fought the fire until the fire department arrived, was burned and suffered heart damage. Around 1939 Ray rented one of his fields to the Norhtville Branta Flying Club for use as a landing area. During WWII the Wayne County (now Detroit Metropolitan) Airport and the Romulus Air Base stopped allowing small aircraft to land, and the landing strip became busier. Ray decided to operate it himself, and Mettetal Airport came into being. It expanded to meet the need: an office was built in 1940, then a large hanger was added (which burned down in 1943 and had to be rebuilt), a shop was built in 1942, and T-hangers were erected. Ray got help with the work from sons Robert, Marvin and Lewis and son-in-law Robert Scheppele.

The Civil Air Patrol was active at the airport. Its members looked for downed pilots and missing persons, patrolled airports to prevent theft of planes, and patrolled coastlines. Robert served as clearance officer, and young Raphael was a guard. Ray and Robert Scheppele were members. Robert, along with brother-in-law William Ryan, served as flight instructors, and around 1946, organized the Plymouth Aero Company. In 1943 a P-39 Air Cobra crashed behind the Greenhouse while Ray and an employee were sowing seed nearby.

Ray raised the old home and two barns on the east side of Lilley in the 1950's, when the house was over 100 years old, using an old road grader. Its spot is now occupied by a commercial building. Ray and Stella retired to Oakland Lake in Clinton, MI around 1950, building a retirement home on about six acres of lakeside property, complete with an underground sprinkling system. They continued to grow and sell Delhiniums and other flowers there, and hosted very large family gatherings with the children and many grandchildren. Ray continued his bowling, horseshoes, and cards that he loved. They donated part of their land so that the United Presbyterian Church of Atonement could be built there.