Mattie Lowell Wardlaw Mettetal

Mattie Lowell Wardlaw Mettetal, wife of the late Dr. Ray Wallace Mettetal, passed away on December 7, 2009. She was born in McComb, MS, the daughter of Mae Magee Wardlaw and Hugh Evins Wardlaw. She attended the Mississippi State University for Women and was graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.S. in business administration. In 1941 she married Dr. Mettetal, and after World War II they moved to Johnson City where Dr. Mettetal established his medical practice.

Mrs. Mettetal was particularly interested in history and was an amateur genealogist. She was a member of numerous genealogical societies among them the Daughters of the American Revolution, Magna Charta Society, Clan Maxwell, Southern Dames of America, Colonial Dames of the XVII Century and the Huguenot Society in which she held office on the state and/or national levels. She is listed in Who's Who of American Women. For over sixty years she was a member of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church where she volunteered in the infant nursery.

Mrs. Mettetal was particularly interested in youth work. She had been a senior leader of the Children of the American Revolution, a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother. She and Dr. Mettetal were particularly devoted supporters of the Tamassee School, a non-profit children's home and family services organization in South Carolina, where a campus building is named for them. Active in many local civic societies she was a charter member of the Tri-county Medical Auxiliary Society, a former Grey Lady of the American Red Cross, a member of the Tipton-Haynes Historical Association and of the Rocky Mount Historical Society.

She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-five years Dr. Ray Mettetal in 1996 and an infant son John William Mettetal. Mrs. Mettetal is survived by her three children: Cecile M. McQueen and her husband Ron; Yvonne M. Rayburn and her husband Rick of Charlotte, NC; and her son Ray W. Mettetal, Jr. M.D. She leaves seven grandchildren, Angelique Phipps, R.P.H. of Galax, VA, Lowell Yvonne Rayburn Combs, Charles Richard Rayburn III, Ray Wallace McCord Rayburn and Christopher Cowden Wardlaw Rayburn all of Charlotte, NC, and Ray Wallace Mettetal III and Melanie Mettetal, and one great-granddaughter McCollum Combs. She is also survived by her brothers Hugh Evins Wardlaw, Jr., Lee Lyle Wardlaw and John Wardlaw.

Services will be held at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church on Wednesday, December 16th at 2:00 pm. The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m. at the church chapel. Burial will be private. Memorials may be made to Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1336, Johnson City, TN 37605.