Hy Kloc

1947 - 2022

Hy Kloc
February 10, 1947 - December 6, 2022
Boise, Idaho - Hy Kloc died December 6, 2022, at his Boise home with his wife of 39 years, Joan Wallace, by his side. He was 75 years old.
The son of Holocaust survivors, Hy arrived in America as a very young child. One of his earliest memories was seeing the Statue of Liberty from the deck of their ship as it sailed into New York Harbor. Like so many refugee families at the end of the war, his family made New York City their home. To be more precise – Brooklyn, a location and experience that would shape his life-long love for cool jazz and great pizza.
His formal schooling prepared him to work in the field of education. And he did that for many years in cities including New York and Chicago. But Hy also was a bit of an entrepreneur. While living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he invented the Gato Drum, then got together with a couple of friends to sell it. At the company's height it could boast of having Sears as a distribution partner. In 2017, Hy was pleased to learn that his Gato Drum had made it into the musical instrument collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Hy and Joan moved to Boise, Idaho, two decades ago, when Hy was hired as the development director for Boise State Public Radio. As they had done in other cities, they immediately set out to be a part of the social fabric of the community. Hy served on various boards, including the Idaho Humane Society board. He was honored to receive the Public Radio Development Professional of the Year Award in 2007. After he retired, Hy became an Idaho legislator, and up until his death he was a director on the Greater Boise Auditorium District (The District) board. During his time in Boise, he achieved many things. He was especially proud of his work on the Pet-Friendly license plate, expansion of the Boise convention center, and the Gene Harris Jazz Festival. A dedicated Democrat, Hy always said, "If you don't get involved, you can't complain." He did both with characteristic enthusiasm.
Hy was one of a kind. He was a wholehearted supporter of the arts, yet he rarely made it past the first intermission of any live performance. Sitting in one place for long made him anxious, and he hated to leave his dogs alone for too long. He loved Chinese food--especially at Christmas--and a good vodka on the rocks at cocktail hour. Deli's were an endless source of inspiration. When he vacationed in Chicago or Palm Springs, friends could expect pictures of massive pastrami sandwiches from Manny's or Sherman's.
Man's best friend never had a better friend than Hy Kloc. In addition to his work with the Humane Society, over the years he and Joan adopted many beloved shelter dogs. Life events were often categorized according to the current dog(s) in residence. This expansive canine family history included Gato, Shana, Gabriel, Charlie, Tripper, Duffy, Sadie, Maggie, Lucy, Jake, Blue, and Blanche.
Although he was not observant, Hy believed that the goal of one's life should be to make the world a better place, which was a reflection of his Jewish faith. And he did that in so many ways. He will be greatly missed.
Hy was proceded in death by his father Sam, his mother Libby, and an older sister he never knew who died in the Holocaust. He is survived by his brother Jack Kloc, his sister Bonnie Oberman, sister-in-law Ann Wallace, brother-in-law David Mabbutt, his nephews and nieces, as well as his spouse Joan and his dog Blanche.
Those wishing to honor Hy may do so by making a donation to the Idaho Humane Society or by purchasing a Pet-Friendly license plate, which raises funds for spay/neuter across the state. A celebration of life will be held next summer.