Final Salute

Leonard Robert Greger Obituary
May 19, 1922 – July 31, 2018

Leonard Robert Greger was born May 19, 1922 in his parent’s North Portland home. He was the last of seven children born to Ferdinand and Florentina Greger, who had emigrated from their German colony in the Ukraine to America in 1904.

Leonard was a student at John Beech Elementary School when it first opened its doors and graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in 1940.
Throughout his growing-up years, he helped his parents operate their small dairy on the bluff overlooking Swan Island, eventually making deliveries to the local markets in the family car.

He began his engineering studies at the University of Portland and transferred his sophomore year to Oregon State University where he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and enlisted in the V-12 Naval Engineering program. The U.S. Navy transferred him in 1942 to the University of Colorado. There, at an Alpha Phi dance, he met the lovely E. Jay Gamer and his life was forever changed. Len graduated from the University of Colorado in 1944 and after receiving orders to a Seabee base in Trinidad, British West Indies, he sent for E. Jay and they married there in June 1946.

After his discharge from the military, Len returned to Portland and accepted a “temporary” engineering job with Crown Zellerbach Corp., across the river in Camas, Wash., a job that lasted his entire career and took him to Renton, Wash., Antioch, Calif. and West Linn, Ore.

Len lost his beloved E. Jay in September 2006. Eleven years later, he met Ms. Evan Black, a fellow resident of his retirement community. They exchanged vows in a commitment ceremony and enjoyed a delightful companionship during the last year of his life.

Len had an insatiable curiosity. He loved to meet new people, visit new places and learn about all manner of things. Most importantly, he was engaged in living life fully and did so until the end of his life. His example of kindness, integrity and honor was an inspiration to many who knew him.

Len is survived by three children, Gay Greger (Jim Sjulin), David Greger (Caroline) and Ken Greger (Cindy); six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Christine, Jenna, Ryan, Hannah and Brent; three great-grandchildren, Natalie, Mia and Kellen; and by Ms. Evan Black.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, 19200 Willamette Dr., West Linn.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial gifts to the OHSU Foundation, Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in West Linn or to the Willamette View Foundation.

Please sign Leonard’s online guestbook at https://www.riverviewcemeteryfuneralhome.com/obituary
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits