Dennis "Denny" LeVett was an unforgettable presence in Carmel. Always dressed neatly in a brightly colored suit and tie, with a pocket square and saddle shoes, he greeted people with a big smile.
"Hi, I'm Denny LeVett. Nice to meet you!"
It didn't matter who it was he was meeting, he had no airs about him, despite owning a large amount of Carmel real estate, including several hotels. He co-owned and managed the Cypress Inn with the late Doris Day. He also owned many properties in Palo Alto, where he got his start in real estate as a young man.
LeVett, who lived in Pebble Beach, died on Monday, Oct. 6. He was 87.
Nancy Twomey, of the Carmel Residents Association, posted on the group's Facebook account on Monday evening that LeVett, "closed out his time in our village today, while his noteworthy legacy stays with us always in his properties, philanthropy, memories and much more. May he rest in peace and watch over our village from above."
Former Carmel city councilmember Bobby Richards was a close friend and business associate of LeVett's for nearly 30 years.
"As far as what he did for Carmel, it was wonderful. He was an important person not just because of his real estate holdings, he participated in the community," Richards says.
"It was an honor to be partners together, but he was always my boss," Richards says, calling what they shared "a good friendship and mentorship."
LeVett grew up first in Iowa, then came to California where he attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton with an eye toward one day becoming a commercial pilot. While there he took a course in real estate and came to realize he might have a knack for it. He became an agent in the Palo Alto area and began buying properties as investments starting at age 21, according to the description for his 2021 autobiography, The Denny LeVett Story: as Told by Denny LeVett.
His first hotel purchase was the Benbow Historic Inn in Garberville in Humboldt County. LeVett visited Carmel, staying in the Vagabond Inn, where he got to talking with the owner who LeVett discovered loved the Benbow. They traded properties, and that was the start of LeVett's Carmel small hotel empire.
LeVett's company, Carmel Boutique Inns, included the flagship Cypress Inn and the Vagabond, plus the Monte Verde Inn, Lamp Lighter Inn and Forest Lodge.
He was always active in the Carmel Chamber of Commerce, meeting with a monthly business roundtable group, as well as meeting regularly with Carmel city officials and donating to causes around town, often without any public credit.
"He was part of the fabric of the community," Richards says.
LeVett has been described as a "Renaissance Man," with a number of passions that included collecting a wide variety of items, including antique guns, vintage boats, toy soldiers, watches and cars. He didn't just collect them to own them, he liked the things he collected and used them regularly, Richards says.
Boasting the largest collection of Paterson Colt guns in the world, LeVett co-authored "The Paterson Colt Book: Featuring the Dennis A. LeVett Collection," in 2001. His collection has been prominently featured in museums, including a permanent display the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles.
According to the museum's website, as a little boy LeVett's favorite cowboy was Gene Autry. At age 9 he got to meet Autry and his horse Champion. The meeting left an impression on LeVett, who began collecting guns that very year. As an adult he focused on the Paterson Colt for what he said was their "combination of beauty, mechanical ingenuity and extraordinary history."
The San Francisco Business Times named LeVett as one of the top 16 philanthropists donating to Bay Area organizations in 2016, after he and his wife Jeanne donated $4 million to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation for a cardiovascular care center.