The Gardiner Town Highway Department and members of the Mid-Hudson chapter of the Antique Truck Club of America (ATCA) paid tribute to a beloved member of both organizations at the Mid-Hudson Antique Truck Show last Sunday.

Wayne Otis served the Gardiner Town Highway for 24 years before officially retiring on Feb. 1. He passed away on March 27 at the age of 64.

The Gardiner Highway Department created a banner commemorating Otis and placed it on a department vehicle at the truck show, surprising Wayne’s widow, Laurie Otis. Wayne was an avid member and past president of the Mid-Hudson chapter of the ATCA.

Highway Superintendent Brian Stiscia described Wayne as a hard-working, dedicated employee. He worked mostly as a mechanic, a trade he had practiced for most of his life.

Wayne began working on automobiles when he was just 16 years old, Laurie said. Wayne’s father, who passed away when he was 15, taught him the tools of the trade.

Both born and raised in Gardiner, Wayne and Laurie were high school sweethearts that married at 21 years old. They raised two sons, John and Aaron, who gave them two grandchildren, James and Alice.

Self-described “small town people,” Laurie said the couple preferred the charm of Gardiner to the hustle and bustle of the big city. Wayne was always willing to help anyone, especially when it came to cars or trucks or machines.

Wayne passed down his love of cars to his sons, especially Aaron, who would often call his father for help on the 1974 Dodge Charger he is restoring.

“We always joked about him being a phone mechanic,” Laurie said.

Wayne found an outlet for his love of cars with the Mid-Hudson truck club about five to seven years ago.
Truck club member Mike Fowler said Wayne was very involved with the club from the moment he joined. A natural people person, Wayne loved getting involved with the club’s events and attended every function, despite his declining health.

“Whatever needed to be done, Wayne had his hand up to do it,” Fowler said.

Wayne and Laurie had several trucks they showed and maintained, including a 1938 Dodge pickup truck, a 1950 two-and-a-half-ton Dodge truck, a little red Express, and a 1979 pickup truck that he drove to and from work each day.

Some of Laurie’s best memories include spur-of-the-moment cruises in their old trucks to admire the fall foliage.

Laurie said she was touched by the highway department’s and the truck club’s tribute to Wayne at the truck show. It showed the impact Wayne had on the people around him and who he was as a person.

“He was just a good guy,” Laurie said.