Obituary of Herbert Holland

Herbert Holland, 87, of Albany, died on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, surrounded by his loving family. Herbert is survived by his wife, Marilyn Rapp Holland; and his children, Sheryl Holland of Selkirk, Lynn Holland of Albany, Debra Holland of Troy, and David Holland of Albany. He is also survived by his sister, Diana Michelson of Slingerlands; and seven grandchildren. Mr. Holland was predeceased by a son, Stephen Holland. Herb was born in Albany's South End on February 13, 1930, the eldest child of Carl Holland and Rose Casid Holland, both first-generation Jewish immigrants. Herb's lifelong love affair with the arts began at an early age when, at age 10, he could be found glued to the radio listening to the Metropolitan Opera every Saturday afternoon. Herb's eclecticism also emerged at a young age with an obsession with building model airplanes and dreams of becoming an aeronautical engineer, though his professional life would ultimately take a much different turn. Herb attended Philip Schuyler High School where he was active in the theater program and began a decades-long friendship with his beloved drama teacher, Melanie Grant. Working on the school newspaper, he worked alongside friend Howie Simons, who went on to become managing editor of the Washington Post during the Watergate scandal. But it was as editor of the school newspaper in his senior year that he got to better know the brilliant dark-haired beauty who became love of his life, Marilyn Rapp. Both went on to attend Albany State Teacher's College together. Herb was shy, but Marilyn knew what she wanted. While there is some controversy as to who proposed to whom, in 1950, just juniors in college, Marilyn and Herb married and began their 67-year journey together. Herb was a born educator. He began his professional career as a social studies teacher at the tender age of 23 in the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District. Barely older than some of his students, it was a rocky start, but before long Herb rose to become chair of the social studies department, assistant school principal, and ultimately school principal. Notwithstanding the large wooden paddle that hung in his office as assistant principal, Herb was loved and admired by students and teachers alike, and even in the last months of his life, experienced encounters with former students who remembered him with great fondness. After a brief stint as principal of the Schalmont Middle School, Herb went to work for the New York State Education Department, sharing his decades of experience with the administrators of schools all over the state, many of which were struggling to meet New York's high educational standards. Herb also revered the military and military education. He served in both the National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring after more than three decades of service. Herb was also active in Jewish War Veterans of the United States Post 105, with whom he marched in countless Memorial Day parades and whose dead he actively honored. After retiring from state government in 1985, Herb worked part-time for the College of St. Rose, mentoring aspiring secondary-school administrators, and later enjoyed sharing his knowledge of local history by acting as docent at both the Albany Institute of History and Art and the New York State Military Museum, and by leading tours both in the downtown neighborhoods where he grew up and at Albany International Airport. His famed "Legs Diamond Tour" was a treat not to be missed. But Herb's personal story is that of two people, not one. Herb and Marilyn raised their five children in the conservative Jewish tradition he so cherished. Both were active in the Temple Israel community, serving sequentially as presidents of the PTA. Herb also served as president of the Men's Club, vice-president of the synagogue, and chair of the all-important Cemetery Committee. An intensive Hebrew school education for his children was non-negotiable, with the Holland children attending both the Temple Israel Hebrew School and the Hebrew Academy of the Capital District. Herb and Marilyn raised their children not only on a kosher diet, but on a diet rich in the arts. From its inaugural season in the summer of 1966 through the summer of 2016, Herb annually gathered family for live ballet and orchestra performances at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Trips to the Williamstown Theatre Festival were another staple of the Holland diet, but Herb and Marilyn's favorite performances were those of their children, all five of whom appeared in theatrical productions in high school and college, at Temple Israel, and even in one off-off-Broadway production. Herb was a devoted son, husband, and father who overcame the formidable obstacles posed by his failing health to care for the family members he loved. He bravely battled cancer in final months of life and bowed to that final challenge with dignity and grace. He was loved and will be missed. Services will be held at Temple Israel, 600 New Scotland Avenue, Albany on Friday, March 24, at 2 p.m. Interment will follow in the Temple Israel Cemetery in Guilderland. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesunion-albany/obituary.aspx?n=herbert-holland&pid=184627342#sthash.VPqs0WWY.dpuf. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Herb’s memory to the Hospice Inn at St. Peter's Hospital, Temple Israel, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.