Dominick Vettraino was born 22 Dec. 1914 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the son of Michael and Michela Vettraino. Michael had been employed at Cranbrook since he was hired by George Booth in 1905. In his capacity as grounds superintendent, Michael planted most of the trees and gardens that adorned Cranbrook’s early years and helped shape the campus that is seen today.

Dominick grew up at Cranbrook, where he “hobnobbed with Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and spoke Italian with Swedish sculptor Carl Milles.” As a child, Dominick helped his father plant trees on the campus and brought water to the construction crews working at Cranbrook. His relationship with Cranbrook was formalized when, in 1931, he began working as one of his father’s handymen. Three years later, after studying at the University of Michigan’s Fire School, Dominick was named the chief of the Cranbrook Fire Department. Dominick used his considerable mechanical skills to build Cranbrook’s first fire truck, converting a Ford chassis into a working piece of firefighting equipment. He even married his wife Anne at the fire station in 1939. Upon his father’s retirement in 1955, Dominick took over the position of grounds superintendent. Dominick would also serve as the head of Cranbrook’s Police Department, where he was often seen patrolling the campus in his blue Ford. As the Cranbrook Cranium put it “Dominick is an interesting person to meet-but not after lights Friday night.”

Dominick’s contributions were not limited to the Cranbrook Community. Dominick used his knowledge and experience as a firefighter to help form the Bloomfield Hills Fire Department in 1942. He continued to serve the community when he was elected to the Bloomfield Hills City Commission in the 1950’s, and in 1958 was elected the village’s mayor, the first native born resident of Bloomfield Hills to hold that position. Dominick was also very involved in the Boy Scouts, founding a troop at the Cranbrook Fire Department in the 1950’s.

Dominick and his family have made an indelible mark on the Cranbrook community. Upon his retirement from Cranbrook in 1981, Dominick received the Founders Award for 50 years of service, 26 years after his father received the award. In 2005, Festa Vettraino commemorated 100 years of Vettraino family service to Cranbrook. Michael and Dominick were honored, along with Dominick’s brother John, who also worked on the grounds at Cranbrook, and John’s daughter Cecilia Vettraino Strine, who teaches at Brookside School Cranbrook. Cranbrook also honored the family with the naming of Piazza Vettraino.

Dominick passed away on April 16, 2003. At his memorial at Christ Church Cranbrook, the fire truck he built stood guard out front, a tribute to his commitment to Cranbrook and the Bloomfield Hills community.