“A leader & an automobile enthusiast never to be forgotten

That, and so much more, comprised our friend Joe Grattan.”

Alas, our club has lost not only a spirited driver, possessed of verve and enthusiasm; it has lost a veritable statesman. By physical and intellectual stature, Joe Grattan was a standout individual. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the National Board of Directors of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and the club’s secretary. He was a treasure, having previously served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director and as the president of the Northern New Jersey Section.

Joe Grattan got into motorsports when he owned an Austin-Healey 3000 back in the 1960s. When personal and business commitments required him to drive a full-size sedan, he reconciled himself to the conclusion of his enthusiast driving years. That was until he purchased his first S-Class Mercedes-Benz. It was a revelation to him that an ample-sized vehicle could be engineered to provide sports car handling and the tactile feedback demanded by serious drivers. The wizards at Sindelfingen managed to build a four-door sedan which could show its heels to the ragtops from Albion. Joe Grattan literally “joined the club” before he actually sent in his first membership dues.

I first met Joe during the 1990s, when he organized backroads rallies for MBCA. As with all the projects he spearheaded, they were meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. At the same time Joe had that common touch, which made him a “good ol’ boy” in the fraternity of car guys and gals.

Joe Grattan was born in Kings County, New York, first receiving prep school education from the Sisters of Charity, going on to tutelage under the Vincentian Fathers at Saint John’s University. He got interested in the management side of the food service industry when he took a summer job at the legendary Catskills resort, Grossinger’s. He went on to become an internationally known expert on the business end of gourmet dining. He was an executive with the Compass Group for forty years, providing first class comestibles for the U.S .Open and the Academy Awards, among other five-star gigs. In his retirement he was a catering consultant for the International Monetary Fund and the University of California. He was star in all his efforts. 

On the basis of his early training Joe always felt a keen obligation to help those less fortunate. He was a member of the board of directors of Friendship House in Hackensack, New Jersey, a nonprofit that provides training and placement for adults with disabilities. Joe was a communicant of St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, where his funeral was held for the immediate family. Plans for a public memorial service later this year are being formulated.

During the last couple of years Joe suffered from a kidney ailment. In December 2020 he contracted pneumonia. He passed away five days after having tested positive for the Coronavirus. He is survived by his son, the eminent Colorado jurist Judge Michael Joseph Grattan III, a daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Joe’s absence leaves an outsize gap in the roster of Star people.

“On the other side of Jordan there is a place for great drivers

Now Moss & Fangio are greeting Joe with buoyant high-fivers.”

John Kuhn Bleimaier