ALTAMONT — Ever since he was a kid, Dick Spadaro had an interest in “wheels.” As a man, he had a business selling parts for early Fords and was known across the country and around the world for his expertise in antique car restoration.

He died on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at the Stanton Nursing Home in Glens Falls after a courageous battle with glioblastoma. He was 66.

“Dick will be remembered for his honesty, friendship, caring and his exuberance for life,” his family wrote in a tribute.

The many friends he made in various parts of his life — in college, in the Army Reserves, teaching at Shaker High School, racing a Sprint car, helping others restore antique Fords — stood by him as he faced the rare aggressive cancer in his brain.

The son of Betty Allen Spadaro of Glen Lake and the late Patrick Spadaro, Richard Allen Spadaro was born in Albany in 1948 on the birthday of his grandmother, Stella Allen Vroman — Sept. 5.

He was raised in Altamont on Western Avenue in a house still owned by his mother. She worked as a teacher at Altamont Elementary School. Mr. Spadaro was in the first kindergarten class at the newly built school. His father worked at Crabill’s, on Maple Avenue just off of Main Street in the village.

“They sold soup to nuts — bicycles, clothing, everything,” recalled Mrs. Spadaro. “Pat worked at Crabill’s for 16 years. Women in those days, World War II and beyond, were very economical. They’d bring in a broken frying pan or bicycle, and Pat would fix it. He was a jack of all trades.”

Patrick Spadaro’s only child followed in his footsteps. “He could do anything,” said Mrs. Spadaro of her son. His first love, always, was anything with wheels. He had a brilliant red tractor and, as a 6-year-old, “would pedal up to his father’s store and back again,” said Mrs. Spadaro. “I had no worry.”

When he was 12, Dick Spadaro talked his parents into purchasing a go-kart so he could race at the Edinburg track. At the track, the Spadaros became members of a club with parents active in supporting the program. His father ran the concession stand, making hotdogs and hamburgers. His mother ran the gate. “I was out in front with the exact change,” Mrs. Spadaro recalled. “I was upset if Dick was racing, bumper to bumper, and I couldn’t watch.”

This project gave the club funds for trophies and rental of the track. Mr. Spadaro was “excellent” at racing, his mother said.

Mr. Spadaro graduated from Guilderland Central High School in 1966. Social studies was his favorite subject. He didn’t like physics, his mother said, but later mastered the subject along with trigonometry in order to work on cars.

“Somebody told me, when he was supposed to be studying, he’d have inside the textbook a book on cars and racing,” she recalled.

Mr. Spadaro went on to the State University of New York College at Oswego, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1970. He majored in industrial arts at Oswego and was a very active member of Phi Sigma Phi.  His fraternity brothers gave him great support during his illness.

Mr. Spadaro also took classes at the University at Albany. After college, he joined the Army Reserves and added another group to his life-long chain of friends who also came to his aid throughout his life. These friends have been a great support to his mother.

Also after college, he got a 1932 Ford, which he took apart, carefully restored each piece, and put the car back together.

The North Colonie Shaker High School hired Mr. Spadaro to teach industrial-arts subjects where he became acquainted with a group of wonderful people.  This group became lifelong friends, too. 

On weekends and vacations during these 10 years of teaching, Mr. Spadaro was always searching for antique Ford car parts from 1932 to 1948. He became acquainted with companies dealing with reproduction parts and decided to have his own business.

The Altamont firehouse on Maple Avenue was for sale and he purchased the building. Mr. Spadaro was a frequent visitor to the Enterprise newsroom; he’d cross the street from his shop to forcefully but cordially tell the editor when his viewpoint differed from hers in editorials.

Mrs. Spadaro recalled how she worried when her son decided to leave the stability of a teaching career to start his own business. “I’ll never forget what he said. He said, ‘Mom, I’ve got my hands,’” she recalled.

“Dick Spadaro’s Early Ford Reproductions” quickly grew and, when a larger space was needed, he purchased a building on the outskirts of Altamont on Route 158.  “Early Ford” merchandise was shipped throughout the United States, and to England, Norway, Australia, and remote islands.

“He loved his work,” said Mrs. Spadaro. He had always liked geography and, as part of his business, knew “all the highways and places to go,” said Mrs. Spadaro. “He knew people from all over the country. People from England would come and stay…He knew exactly where every part went and what year it was. He was very, very knowledgable.”

She went on, “He was involved with everything, very active. He kept his mother busy from the time he was born.”  

While touring, selling and buying, Mr. Spadaro met with the Empire Super Sprints racing group and decided to start racing a Sprint car for pleasure. He raced the Number 29 with the group for many years.

After-race parties were held at Glen Lake many times.  His mother was often with Mr. Spadaro at the races at Lebanon Valley, Albany-Saratoga (Malta), Fonda, and Devil’s Bowl as well as Dundee.  Several times, Mr. Spadaro raced with the Outlaws when they were in the area.

“He liked to go fast,” said his mother but, when he wasn’t on the racecourse, he followed the rules of the road and only ever got one speeding ticket, which he said was because the speed limit was poorly marked.

Sometimes, when she watched her son race, Mrs. Spadaro said, “My teeth would chatter.” She described him “going up in the car, landing with a thud, taking out part of the earth.” He was in a bad accident once, at Lebanon Valley, but, so as not to worry her, she said, “He never told me.”

Through the years, Mr. Spadaro spent many hours on the telephone, explaining the techniques of restoring old Fords. “Dick is known throughout the country for his expertise in the ’32-’48 Ford restoration field,” his family wrote. “He received letters and cards of appreciation from many of those he had helped.”

At car shows all over the country, Mr. Spadaro had his reserved location each year. Meets in Pennsylvania, at Hershey and Carlisle, were special for him.  He walked the fields of Hershey, the aisles of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), and the lanes of many National Street Rod events.

Recently, at the Stanton Nursing Home, he told his mother, “I need some money. I bought some fenders on the third floor.” The nursing home had but one floor.

“He fought so hard to live,” said his mother.

Mrs. Spadaro said she learned a lot from her son. “He was always so thankful,” she said, recalling how, after eating, he’d say, “Thanks for supper.”

“And,” she said, “he’d always bring me a gift for Mother’s Day.”

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In addition to his mother, Betty Allen Spadaro, Richard Allen Spadaro is survived by his uncle, Joseph Spadaro, and his wife, Betty, of Saratoga Springs, and his cousins: Susan Arnold and her husband, David, of Michigan, Terri McCoy and Peter Audet of Albany, Anthony Spadaro of Delmar, Frank Spadaro and his wife, Susan, of Malta, Patricia Spadaro of Herkimer, Linda Miller and her husband, Charles, of Delmar, Marie Young of Altamont, Carl Horton of Lykers, Ellen Ulleman of Cobleskill, Edward Horton of Amsterdam. and Ernest Horton of Schenectady.

The Spadaro family wholeheartedly thanks the staff at Albany Medical Center and the staff of Stanton Nursing Home, Glens Falls “for their friendship, kindness and excellent care of Dick.”

A calling period will be held Saturday, May 9, from 10 to 12:30 p.m. at the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 5216 Western Turnpike (Route 20 just west of Carman Road) in Guilderland.  A service will immediately follow at 12:30 pm. at the funeral home.  Online condolences may be left at www.demarcostonefuneralhome.com. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Altamont Free Library, 179 Main St., Altamont, NY 12009 or the New York State Stock Car Assocciation, Post Office Box 1136, Clifton Park, NY 12065. Please mention Richard Spadaro in memo section of contribution.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer