The legacy of an attorney who devoted her life to protecting others lives on through two new funds.
As an attorney, Martha “Martie” Grube Mettee was successful. In 1992, she reached what most consider the pinnacle of legal achievement — arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was a member of not only the County and State Bar Associations, but the Federal Bar as well and had a decades-long career with the Bay County Prosecutor’s Office.
She was also a wonderful daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, friend, volunteer, protector and caregiver.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, the youngest of three children, Martie grew up happily in the home attached to her parents’ butcher shop/grocery store. Education was important to her family and it was expected that Martie would go to college. And that is just what she did, graduating first from Valparaiso University and later from Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School.
Her law degree brought her to Bay City in 1981 as Judge Eugene Penzien’s law clerk. She went on to have a successful career as a Bay County assistant prosecutor, working tirelessly in this office for more than 25 years until her retirement in 2008.
Barb Hayward, Martie’s longtime friend, recalls, “She loved to bring comfort and joy to others, especially children. Martie was highly intelligent, very compassionate and so, so wise. She was a great friend and always got you to look at every perspective of a situation to make sure you were making the right choice.”
Martie’s days were spent caring for others, whether it was through the work she did in the Prosecutor’s Office or as a volunteer with Relay for Life, Paint and Pride, the Bay Heritage Quilt Guild, the Trombley House Museum, or one of many other organizations. She had a deep love of animals and always had a pet. Her kind heart would sometimes get the best of her and she’d take in a stray animal she couldn’t bear to leave out in the cold.
When she died in March of 2019, her dedication to caring for others survived her. As part of her legacy, two new funds have been created in Martie’s name at the Bay Area Community Foundation by her sister, Joan Dyson.
The Martha “Martie” G. Mettee YMCA Fund will use proceeds to provide YMCA memberships or camperships to economically disadvantaged individuals. Martie greatly enjoyed the social network and sense of community she experienced during time spent at the YMCA, especially after her retirement. This fund will ensure that this experience is available to others who may not have otherwise had the opportunity.
The Martha “Martie” G. Mettee Donor Advised Fund will direct funding to enhance the quality of life and future vitality of Bay County, distributing grants to causes “the way Martie would.”
Her friend Barb explains, “These funds are an example of her caring nature. Martie always wanted to comfort and support those in need. She felt blessed to have the ability to help. Her whole life was about serving others. That’s just who she was. I think she’d be happy to know that caring continues in the future.”
We are happy to work with you on your plans for charitable giving. Call us at 989.893.4438 to set up an appointment.
I am proud to serve my community through my role at BACF. As a Program Officer, I collaborate with nonprofit, government, church, and school partners in Bay and Arenac counties to navigate our grant opportunities and find the right funding alignment. From project conception to post-award, I am your main contact for all things grants. Connecting organizations and donors who share the same vision and passion is at the heart of my work.
