Raymond F. Metter, 89, of Huron
HURON­ — Raymond F. Metter, 89, of Huron and formerly of rural Cavour, passed away on Friday, January 3, 2020, at his home in Wellshire Huron (formerly Sunquest Village) just three days short of his 90th birthday.
His funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at Hope Lutheran Church in Huron, with burial at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Visitation, with his family present, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday at Welter Funeral Home in Huron, with a prayer service beginning at 6:30 p.m.; or visitation one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.
Raymond Fredrick Metter was born on January 6, 1930, on his parents' farm in Pearl Creek Township, Beadle County to Albert and Emma (Schley) Metter. He attended Country School through 8th grade.
Raymond was a jack-of-all trades. He learned to farm with his father at a very early age. For $1-a day, as early as the age of 7, he and his brother Clifford would hand-pitch manure into a spreader and grain bundles into a hay rack and later bladed roads in Pearl Creek Township with a tractor and old road grader. When electricity came to the farms, he worked with his brother Cecil wiring houses.
On August 20, 1950, Raymond married LaVonne (Hein) at Immanuel Lutheran Church and they moved onto a farm in Belle Prairie Township where they lived for 28 years raising their three children. Besides his own farming operation which consisted of crops and cattle, sheep, pigs, and 8 hand-milked cows one of which was a headstrong Holstein, Raymond did custom work. First with a corn sheller, then combining, including Southern states. Next came hay moving and grinding. He also bought his own road grader and maintained roads for several townships for many years.
In 1978, they moved his grandfather's house in Pearl Creek Township one mile from where Raymond was born, remodeled it and lived there for 18 years.
In 1981, Raymond had a massive heart attack and they began making woodcrafts, Raymond sawing and LaVonne painting, and over the next eight years attended as many as 26 craft shows in one year. Raymond also loved attending tractor shows and built a John Deere tractor mailbox out of parts and wheels from an old horse mower and binder. He restored an A, H, and MT John Deere tractors and an 8N Ford. He then started making tractors and toys out of wood that looked like real metal toys, winning many blue ribbons including "Best of Show" at the fair. The severe pain in his knees kept him from continuing his passion.
Raymond loved to hunt and fish and served as a hunting guide for out-of-state hunters for years. He bought a plane and only required two hours of flying lessons before obtaining a license. During the winter he aerial hunted for fox and coyote.
Raymond loved traveling, although he would never admit it, but he would be the first one in the vehicle. They traveled to 43 states, Mexico, Canada, and twice to Europe. He loved visiting, playing cards and jigsaw puzzles. Raymond loved music and could play by ear especially the harmonica.
Raymond was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and in 1995, when they moved to Huron joined Our Savior's Lutheran Church. In 2011, Raymond and LaVonne were charter members of the then newly formed Hope Lutheran Church.
He was a past church council member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, on the Belle Prairie Township Board for 20 years and a member of SD Flying Farmers. Raymond also served as softball coach for 4-H and bowled on a Men's Bowling League. He and LaVonne were also square-dance members of the Cavour Whirlers.
In 2018, Raymond and LaVonne moved into Sunquest Village, now Wellshire.
Surviving relatives include his wife of 69 years; a daughter, Debra Kates of Huron; daughter-in-law, Debra Metter of Cavour; sister, Margery Dubro; sisters-in-law, Carol Metter and Judy Mette; grandchildren, Heather (JJ) Lewis of Plankinton, Beth (Kerry) Bruce of Glennville, Ga., Victoria (Brett) DeDeyne of Huron, Casey Metter of Huron, Christopher (Alyse) Kates of Glennville, Ga., and Ryan Metter of Huron; great-grandchildren, Logan Metter, Jayden, Layne, Darian Lewis of Plankinton, Olivia, Alexandra, Kensley, and Kallan Bruce of Glennville, Ga., Micah, Taylor, and Luxanna Metter of Huron, Emrick and Kamrey DeDeyne of Huron, and Atticus, Parker, and Riley Kates of Glennville, Ga.; and many nieces and nephews.
Raymond was preceded in death by his parents; sons, David (2013), and Randy (2015); and brothers, Cecil, Albert Metter Jr, and Clifford; and brother-in-law, Marion Dubro.
Visit www.welterfuneralhome.com
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