Not all worth saving

Before Varjian’s death in September 2015, he and the university were “just at the point of drafting a gift agreement,” Null said. As the executor of his estate, now that will be up to Cross.

There are expenses.

“Usually we just absorb the cost of processing, storing, etc.,” said Null. “Sometimes people will give us donations for that, and Doris has actually indicated that she may give us some funding to process the collection.”

Varjian’s hoard did not stay in one place over the past 31 years of storage in Madison, according to Mike Atkinson, the last caretaker of the crates.

The first two storage companies went out of business or were sold, and Atkinson’s company, FAK, informally inherited the batch of crates that included Varjian’s, he said.

When the crates were opened — they were not locked, just kept closed with wire, he said — “I was just as excited as they were to see what was in there,” he said.

“Everything was in good shape. Leon was obviously a very frugal man, and a lot of the stuff he bought at St. Vinny’s for his (cable TV) show. There was a beautiful double-reverb Fender amp in there, too,” he added.