Obituary of Gladys G. Siegel

Gladys Goldman Siegel, age 91 of the Schuyler Ridge Nursing Home in Clifton Park, NY, former longtime Albany, NY resident died on Tuesday morning, May 28, 2013 at the nursing home. Gladys was predeceased by her husband Fred, the love of her life, and her cherished daughters Toby and Paula. The memory of her unconditional love, great generosity and sweet disposition will be cherished by her remaining daughters, Sharon and Sylvia (Barry) and her grand children, David (Cortney) and Elisabeth Honan, Will (Maureen) and George Duffy and Jesse and Jenna Weinstein. Gladys was lovingly raised by her parents and extended family on Stanley Street in Schenectady. She was "fixed up" for her senior prom to the grocer's son, Fred Siegel, a freshman at Union College. That night they had the "best time of their lives" and continued their courtship through her studies at Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City to be a fashion illustrator and Fred's studies at Columbia University in dentistry and service in the Navy during WWII. At the reception for her 1998 retrospective exhibit in Beverwyck Adult Residence in Slingerlands, she told the story of how her father, when WWII broke out, wanted her to come home after one year of study. She applied to the Women's Foundation who sponsored the boarding house where she stayed and, after seeing her portfolio, they granted her tuition for her second year plus room and board so that she could finish her studies. She soon had a job working for a New York designer making research sketches. Gladys worked from home as a fashion illustrator first in Boston for Filene's and later in Albany for Denby's, Town and Tweed, and for many years Honigsbaum's for which she earned art and design awards. When her fourth daughter, Sylvia, was born she stopped working commercially to focus her efforts on raising her family. With her husband's full support -- she said he was her biggest fan -- Gladys continued exploring her talents studying painting of portraits and landscape, and in her 60s and 70s learned the difficult discipline of Chinese brush painting with dazzling results. She was very involved with the Albany Artists Group, taking on many leadership roles including running the life drawing class and working on the annual tent show. Gladys leaves behind a legacy of artistic creativity which she helped nurture in both her family and the community. Many thanks to the Schuyler Ridge Nursing Home in Clifton Park whose caring staff made Gladys's last years as pleasant as possible and, with the Community Hospice, her last moments peaceful. Services at the Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Avenue Albany, NY on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 1:00pm.Interment will follow in the family plot at the Temple Israel Cemetery in Guilderland, NY. Following the interment, the family will be receiving friends and relatives at Sharon's home, 211 Colonial Avenue in Albany (off Buckingham Drive) In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Schuyler Ridge Nursing Home,1 Abele Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065 or the United Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY, 184 Washington Avenue Extension, Albany, NY 12203.