Barton Hugh Klion, of Saratoga Springs, died peacefully in his sleep on April 7, 2026; he was born March 28, 1928, in Manhattan. He celebrated his 98th birthday with his children, daughter-in-law, and devoted granddaughter. Bart was fiercely independent and he was still driving and only using a cane until recently. He was looking forward to his Academy for Lifelong Learning “international relations” discussion group, and had just found a new chess partner with whom he played at a local coffee shop. He had a 518-day streak on Chess.com, where he played every day with one of his grandsons and others. A lifelong athlete, he skied until he was 82 and played tennis until he was 89.

After graduating from Rutgers University in 1948 and serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army (1948 - 1949), he began a successful career as a wallcovering sales and marketing executive, leading sales teams in metro NYC, while managing national accounts throughout the United States and Canada. Married to Barbara in 1955, Bruce and Lisa were born shortly after, and they moved to Hartsdale, NY, in 1960, where they remained until 2018, when they moved to Saratoga County. Bart and Barbara’s passion was travel, both in the U.S. and internationally, mostly on walking tours. The places and countries are too long to list, but think of the song “Let’s Go Everywhere.”

Bart will mostly be remembered for his commitment to friends and family. Bruce and Lisa grew up with a slew of “Uncles,” some from the Manhattan neighborhood where he grew up, some from his years at Rutgers, where Bart was the president of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity chapter. He was an Ardsley Little League coach and a co-founder of the local touch-and-flag football program, as well as “Lassie League” softball. He taught his children to ski in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Quebec, and to play tennis at the local swimming and tennis club. He regularly attended his grandchildren’s school and youth sports activities, even though they were not local, with one grandson noting, “I don’t recall any other grandparents watching their grandchildren play outdoor division 5 soccer in all weather.”

Other than seeing his two great-grandsons this Spring, Bart was most looking forward to the annual Rutgers Living History Society meeting; RLHS and Rutgers Oral History Archive (now part of the Rutgers University History Department), gave him much meaning and purpose over the last 32 years, not just the absolute value of this worthy project, but the people he had met, interacted and formed relationships with. He served on the original operations committee, was President of RLHS for seven years, and remained active in the organization until last week. Bart entered Rutgers during WWII as a 16-year-old in 1944, and virtually all of his friends and fraternity brothers were returning combat veterans (as was his brother Stanley, RU class of 1942). Much of his devotion to ROHA was born of these relationships. Bart loved Rutgers University and was the true definition of a “loyal son.” Donations in honor of Barton Klion can be made here: https://give.rutgersfoundation.org/oral-history-archives/8689.html.

He was predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Barbara Kupsick Klion (b. 1933, d. 2024). Surviving him are his son, Bruce and daughter-in-law Linda Klion of Saratoga Springs, their children and spouses and grandsons, Bennett Klion and Rose Mendoza, their son Cillian of Brooklyn; Henry Klion and Nicole Cavallaro, their son Oliver of Brooklyn; his daughter Lisa (Klion) Wald of Wayne, NJ; her son Jason Wald and fiancée Annika Sundberg of Chicago; her daughter Samara Wald of Providence (his “favorite” granddaughter).

Bart was and will continue to be a role model of a life well lived, dedicated to friends and family.

A private graveside service with military honors will be held at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville, NY.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com