Melvin “Mel” William Metz, age 86, of Battle Creek, died peacefully on the morning of December 24, 2016, at Select Specialty Hospital. He now joins his dearly departed wife, Kathleen “Kay” (Davis), in heaven with their two sons, Martin and Jeffrey, and his parents. Mel was born during the Great Depression, the third of four children to Vernon Kenneth and Elizabeth (LaLonde) Metz. He was a graduate of St. Phillip Catholic Central and a founding and longtime member of St. Jerome Catholic Church and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. Mel married the love of his life, Kay, on June 2, 1951, and was the father of eleven children. He was employed for a short time as a seasonal postal worker. Mel was employed for over 38 years at the Kellogg Co. as a millwright and was known as a“Bran Man”. Mel was a proud member of the Kellogg 25 Year Club. He also served as a member of the US Naval Reserve. During his life, he was a father figure to many in his neighborhood and his church community. His specialty was repairing cars, neighborhood children’s bikes and anything else that needed repairing. Mel was an excellent listener and would always put others first. Although Mel was a man of few words, his empathy and unselfish actions displayed his unconditional love. His daughter, Emily, and her husband Gene, cared for Mel in their home for more than two of his final years. Mel is survived by his children, Rebecca “Becky” (Steve) Bakken, of Augusta, Vernon (Deborah Younker) Metz, of Battle Creek, Barbara (Robert) Budreau of Bellevue, MI, Ruth (Clifton) Glass, of McRae, Arkansas, Victoria “Vicky” (James) Heckman of West Allis, WI, Elizabeth (Richard) Stucklen of Masontown, PA, Emily “Amy” (Eugene) Green, of Bellevue, MI, Pauline “Paula” (John) Kent of Battle Creek, Darlene “Darla” (Jason) Henry of Battle Creek. Mel will be missed greatly by his 25 grandchildren, Jennifer, Stephanie, Martin, Melanie, Ryan, Robert, Hope “Heather”, Wendy, Joshua, Tiffany, Veronica, Violet, Miranda, Ian, Gabrielle, Kevin, Ashley, Eugene, Eric, Jeffrey, William, Jordan, McKenna, Kadence, and Khloe, and 20 great grandchildren, Rhys, Mason, Aubrey, Kailey, Brandon, Harmoni, Helena, Austen, Alana, Kirra, Kaylynn, Janessa, Lorenzo, Delisia, De’Lani, Elizabeth, Lezlee, Annee, Macee, Hazelee, and many nieces and nephews, sisters, Phyllis Glass Doner Rice Woodward of Benton Harbor, MI, Patricia Carter of Georgetown, KY, and a brother, Richard Metz of Sun City West, AZ. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 AM Thursday (today) at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 229 Collier Ave. Memorials may be given to the Marian Burch Adult Day Care, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Arrangements are by the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service. Visit Mel’s webpage at www.bachmanhebble.com.