Hershey, Fred B.
LOUDONVILLE - Fred B. Hershey, one of Albany's most prominent interior designers, died on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at the Daughter's of Sarah Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Albany, from complications following spinal surgery. He was born on June 30, 1941, in Stroudsburg, Pa., to Fred W. and Gertrude Burlingame Hershey. He founded and was the principal for nearly 50 years of Burlingame Interiors, Ltd., in Albany and later, Loudonville. Throughout his life he was very active in community and business affairs, having provided award-winning design work for many local prominent businesses, large rental apartment complexes, educational and health institutions, historic landmarks, churches, clubs, and private residences here and elsewhere along the east coast.
Fred was a graduate of Syracuse University and began his career, designing interiors of the Empire State Plaza, and Legislative Office Building, while working for Martin Business Furniture, Inc., Albany. He later established Burlingame Interiors, Ltd., and was active in the American Society of Interior Designers, served as president of its Upstate New York and Canada Chapter, and became an A.S.I.D. Fellow in the 1990s. During that time, he spearheaded state legislation to establish professional licensure and credentials for professional interior designers through the New York State Education Department and was awarded N.Y.S. license No. 1.
His work won many regional and local awards for his business designs, including the historic restoration of the Austin & Co., Insurance headquarters "Carriage House" on 307 Washington Ave., where a restored antique horse-drawn carriage was suspended in the front lobby, midway up the original antique elevator. The carriage house was designed by Stanford White as part of the Benjamin W. Arnold estate, now owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany on Washington Park.
He was among the early members of the Historic Albany Foundation and helped with interior designs in many local historic landmark restorations, including St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Albany, the President's House at Russell Sage College, Troy, The Pruyn House, Town of Colonie Historical Society, The Patroon Agent's House, Rensselaer, and the Fort Orange Club, Albany.
Fred was also an active Republican, serving as Center Square Ward Leader and Albany City Chairman during the late 1960s when several local offices and state legislative seats were flipped from longtime Democratic control.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Donna Macleod Hershey; and their two sons, Giles David (Sarah Jeffery) and Geoffrey Grant, both of Albany. Along with two grandchildren, Giles Grant and Alexandra Grace.
According to his wishes, his cremated remains will be installed in St. Peter's Church Columbarium, where for many years he served on the vestry, following a memorial service at St. Peter's Church, set for June 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Peter's Church, Daughter's of Sarah, or Capitol Repertory Theatre. Arrangements are made by Tebbutt & Frederick Memorial Funeral Home, 633 Central Ave., Albany.
To express condolences, please visit www.sbfuneral
home.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Albany Times Union on Jun. 9, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Fred Hershey

3 Entries

Paul Pasqualitti

June 21, 2024

My deepest sympathy to Fred´s in his passing. May he Rest In Peace.

Paul Pasqualitti
Buell Printing, Inc.
Renssealaer, NY

How you can show support

Get email updates whenever changes are made.

Send flowers

Consider sending flowers.

Add photos

Share their life with photo memories.

Plant trees

Honor them by planting trees in their memory.

Donate in Memory

Make a donation in memory of your loved one.

Share this page

Invite other friends and family to visit the page.

Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill

June 13, 2024

Fred and Donna have been loyal friends to me and Capital Rep. Even as his bones were failing and stairs becoming more and more obstacles, Fred loved to come to the theatre. I could always rely on Fred to tell me exactly what he thought of the play and our customer service. When we took a group of theatre-lovers to London, Fred loved to talk about the shows we saw - and hold court around the hotel pub table - and I'm delighted to say, offer the tour guides (me and Margaret Hall) a drink, as he regaled us with his insights. He set high standards for himself and those around him and I am going to miss his observations and suggestions. Most of all, I will miss seeing Fred doing all he could to keep the things he loved close to him, including the arts, beautiful things and of course, Donna and his family. Rest in peace, my friend. I have no doubt things will be more beautiful wherever you are.

Ray Hull

June 9, 2024

Fred is at rest. After a couple of years of debilitating falls, both Fred and Donna have struggled to reacclimate themselves in succeedingly stair-free houses, diets, surgeries and devastating medical prognoses. Through it all, Fred showed utmost family consideration, faith, dignity, valor and good humor.

He and Donna were always booked and running off to the theater, their place on Cape Cod, the opera, England and Scotland, and of course to support his beloved St. Peter´s Episcopal Church. He served on the vestry for years and led them through historical research and rehabilitation on the physical needs of a very important Richard Upjohn structure.

From the moment we first met, in the 1960s, Fred stood out as an organizer and "spark-plug" in the Albany County Young Republicans during the heyday of the Rockefeller Administration. Fred was particularly instrumental in Walter Langley´s Senate campaign, along with the elections of Ray Skuse and Fred Field for Assembly.

Later, when I moved to Center Square, there he was again, organizing activities on Chestnut Street and with Donna at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. I always enjoyed being greeted by the whole family as I walked my big black Newfoundland, Mortimer, along Chestnut without a leash; he couldn´t resist rushing over to say hello to the Hershey boys.

But our real collaboration came when he stepped up to help me rehab my Greek Revival VanRensselaer house on the Hudson. Fred´s eye for color and space was legendary. He could take one look at the chaos of moving-a crumpled rug, a piece of furniture and a stack of unhung artworks and come back later with an entire design plan for wallpaper, draperies, upholstery, carpet, and then show you exactly where everything would fit. His was an astounding visual perception that made him so good at what he did.

And he did it all with dignity and understated taste, with respect for the historical period as well as my personal needs and furnishings And have fun doing it.

Fred´s great sense of space and color was equaled by his joy for life and warm humor-he could laugh with you and at his own foibles. He could always lighten a busy working session by clowning around and making outlandish decorative suggestions. One, pictured here, is how I choose to remember Fred-bright-eyed, laughing, wrapped in tasteful, colorful fringe tassels, producing clear joy for everyone he worked and socialized with.

I send my deepest condolences to Donna, David and Geoffrey and their families. And Godspeed to Fred, a true bright light in Albany.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results