HOWARD SCHLOSS (1932 – 2004)
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our good friend, NAPEX Board Member and Secretary Howard Schloss, who succumbed to a heart attack on Saturday, May 15th at age 71.
Howard was born in Manhattan, New York City on October 4, 1932. After graduating from Cornell University with degrees in Economics and Chemistry, he earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Columbia University and a Law Degree from New York University. Howard spent most of his professional life as a lawyer with the Food and Drug Administration, where he was highly regarded and spent his early-retirement years teaching new FDA employees.
Howard was a very active philatelist who was always well liked for his cordial and unassumingly manner. He collected, attended stamp shows, and served and supported many societies and shows as a Director or Officer. However, his day always started after he had worked the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. Howard also was an avid New York Yankees baseball fan. He died in Frederick, MD either going to or returning from a small stamp show, pursuing his hobby right up to the end.
Howard had diverse collecting interests that ranged from Danish locals and wavy line stamps to the New York 1939 World’s Fair. He also collected Czechoslovakia, Israel, booklet panes, South Africa, and Barbados. He was a member of numerous philatelic societies, including locally, the Potomac Philatelic Society, and the Rockville-Gaithersburg Stamp Club. He graciously served many organizations as Secretary or Treasurer, several simultaneously. His primary specialty centered with the Scandinavian Collectors Club but he was also a member of the Society of Israel Philatelists, Society for Czechoslovak Philately, South Africa Collectors Society of Great Britain, American Philatelic Society, and a member of the Arizona Philatelic Rangers.
He has served with NORDIA 2001, BALPEX, VAPEX, and WASHINGTON 2006. At NAPEX, he served as Secretary, Assistant Floor Manager, and Government liaison. In the latter position, he coordinated several First Day Ceremonies. He was honored with the President's Award in 2003 for his service to NAPEX. He did not seek these responsibilities but he took them when offered and then performed them in an exemplary fashion to completion.
NAPEX, along with other societies, have initiated a memorial fund for Howard to raise $5,000 for a tree in his memory at the APS memorial park. All of Howard's friends are invited to help. Checks can be written to the APRL and sent to NAPEX, POB 1312, Falls Church, VA 22041 or to the society you want it to represent. We will assemble these donations and send them to the APS around August. Each individual will receive a separate acknowledgment of their donation from the APS.
Howard touched all he knew with his genteel personality. He was a mainstay of support to the philatelic groups he joined. Bob Lamb, Executive Director of the APS, noted that “The Society has lost a good friend and supporter.” He gladly took the positions others would not and each group benefited from his philanthropy. He was proud to serve philately and enjoyed the fellowship of our hobby and the collectors who knew him. Janet Klug, President of the APS states, “He was one of the hobby's unsung heroes.” He will be sorely missed by hundreds of his colleagues and fellow philatelists.
His funeral was held at the Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York City on May 20th at 1 PM. His brother Arthur and his wife Sharon of Palm Harbor, FL, his niece Amy Pressman of Madison, CT, and nephew Marc Schloss of Washington, DC, survive him.
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