Len L. Gratteri September 19, 1942 - October 22, 2016

Len L. Gratteri passed away peacefully at home on October 22, in Bend, Oregon at the age of 74, after an 18-year battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Len is survived by his mother, Jean Gratteri of Portland, Oregon; his wife, Anna Gratteri; his children Rob, Alicia, Becki; and granddaughter Jasmine; brothers Ken and John; and sister Antoinette.

He is preceded in death by his father, Leonard Gratteri, Sr.

Len, "Lenny" to his friends, was born in Seattle on September 19, 1942, to Leonard and Jean Gratteri. In 1957 the family relocated to Hillsboro, Oregon where Leonard had recently purchased a tire shop. Later the Gratteri Tire shop became one of the first family-owned Les Schwab tire dealers. Len began his working life in his father's employ and devoted his career to the shop. Upon his father's retirement, Len bought the tire shop, but they remained close, and met daily for coffee and jelly donuts.

The tire shop was not the only thing Len had in common with his father; he inherited the passion for collecting. Len started his first collection, a coin collection, while still in high school. His curiosity with history and antiques led to an extensive collection of high-quality Old West antiques.

On retirement, Len sold his tire shop to his brother Ken and moved to Sisters to build his dream home. He spent two years designing and perfecting the intricate details that made his beautiful timber-frame home a showcase. The home was built with the knowledge that it would be the setting for his collection of Western memorabilia. Those who visited his home felt that they'd stepped into a museum. When he discovered a niche market of collectors who longed for the pieces in his collection, Lenny decided to open a store.

Old West Collectables opened its doors in 2007, and quickly became Lenny's pride and joy.

Len was a proud member of WOLA, Western Outlaw and Lawman Association, and in 2010, he added the title of "author" to the many feathers in his cap.  In the mid-1990s, he stumbled upon a collection of photographs and documents that launched him into 18 years of research about a bank robbery that took place in Caldwell, Kansas in 1884.  This research culminated in the publication of "William Sherod Robinson Alias Ben Wheeler," co-authored with two other experts in the field. Len also acquired the gun, badge, and noose from the robbery and following trial and hanging of the outlaw band.

Len had a passion for high-performance cars, and a collection that included an early Shelby Cobra and a Roush Mustang. He was also a Rotarian, supported local veterans, and was active in several Parkinson's support groups.

Len liked to barter, but deep down he was a gentle and very generous man. He was a sharp salesman with an even sharper wit; a prankster with a dry sense of humor who loved to make his friends and employees laugh. Those who called him friend knew that even in his battle with Parkinson's he was cheerful, fiercely independent, and ever optimistic. Lenny was loved by many and will be missed by his family, friends, and employees past and present.

A memorial service for Len will be held at a later date, and a memorial page has been created on Legacy.com, where you can share your memories, photos and condolences of Lenny.

Len asked that in lieu of flowers please donate to the Northwest Parkinson Foundation at https://nwpf.org.