Wilton, NY - Howard John Kloss passed away unexpectedly Friday June 18, 2010 at his home. He was 68. A lifelong resident of Wilton, he was an avid Dale Earnhardt fan and fancied himself somewhat of a cat trainer teaching tricks to his feline friends, Misty and Foxy, a skilled he learned on a trip to Key West. His passion was the repair and restoration of all things mechanical. His 1929 Chevy engine was recently on a five state tour, sponsored by Skidmore College. Howard retired from the Saratoga Springs City School District where he was a school bus mechanic for more than 25 years. He was predeceased by his parents, Stephen and Ethel (Parker) Kloss. Survivors include his partner of 30 years Diane Matuszewski; two brothers, Bill Kloss (Linda) of Corinth and Stephen Kloss (Donna) of Wilton; one sister, Shirley Chase (Robert) of Wilton; a daughter Kim, her mother Norma, daughters Stacey and Michelle and their mother, Isabelle, as well as three stepdaughters Eileen, Lorraine and Brie. He was a loving father and grandfather. He is survived by 7 grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins and is remembered as a beloved uncle to several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Howies Garage was a landmark on Route 9 in Wilton for more than 20 years. After closing the garage, he devoted time to restoring his 1953 Henry J. He also enjoyed visiting other garages in town, including R&S and Johnsons Autocrushers, where he often offered his expertise on auto repair. His travels included Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and a recent road trip along Route 66 from California to Chicago with his pals, Doc and Otis. His garage was filled each night with his buddies who helped with his many project cars. His brother, Steve, says they plan to finish the Henry J in his honor. It was well known that Howard could fix just about anything and he often did. For the past few years he was the handyman on call to Sundaes Best, where he kept their 1956 International Harvester Travelall running and often was called on to repair the production equipment. The story can be found on the label of Howards Hazelnut Hot Fudge Sauce, named in his honor. Relatives and friends may call from 2 to 4pm Wednesday (June 23, 2010) at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs 584-5373. A funeral service will be conducted at 4pm Wednesday at the funeral home. A celebration of Howie's life will continue at the VFW Post 420, Veterans Way at Excelsior Avenue, immediately following the 4pm funeral. In lieu of flowers, contribution may be made to the Howard J. Kloss Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Adirondack Trust Company for a scholarship to be established in Howards name for the Saratoga BOCES automotive program. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.