Fred Field dies at 88
Community remembers former Republican official as a dedicated leader with a “magic personality”
Community remembers beloved former Colonie town supervisor.
It’s not every day that a decades-long elected official can have such an untarnished reputation. But ask people about Fred Field, former Colonie town supervisor and state Assembly member, and there is gleaming review after review across partisan lines.
Field, a Republican who served in public office for 34 years, died at the age of 88 Friday. In the days since, his friends and family have mourned the loss of their loved one, and the community has provided hundreds of social media posts about what a memorable politician he was.
“The first politician I can remember admiring was Fred Field,” Peter Gannon, CEO of United Way of the Greater Capital Region, wrote on Facebook.
“I remember meeting him as a kid at the Polish Club and questioning him about the condition of Old Loudon Rd. He was so gracious to me and I distinctly remember the way he worked the room giving everyone who wanted it their time with him. Witnessing those interactions has stuck with me for decades.”
Rick Field, one of Field’s sons and now a Colonie Town Board member, said his 23-year-old grandson called him Tuesday in awe of the accolades he was seeing for his great-grandfather online.
“He says, ‘I just can’t believe it all,’” Rick said. “This kid is telling me, ‘Boy, it really inspires you to do so much with your life.'”
A North Colonie native, Field’s foray into politics began as a Town Board member. But he made a real name for himself when he ran for Assembly in the 103rd District, unseating six-term Democrat incumbent Harvey Lifset on his first try. He never lost a re-election bid in the more conservative district, The Knickerbocker News noted in a 1986 profile of Field, despite his liberal votes supporting
gay rights and decriminalization of marijuana and his opposition to the death penalty.
“That was a tough fight. We organized that campaign like you can’t believe,” recalled George Scaringe, Albany County Republican chairman. “We carried Watervliet, Green Island, Cohoes — all strong Democratic holds at the time — and the town of Colonie.”
The win — and each win after that — Scaringe says, was thanks to Field’s “magic personality.”
“He was tremendous with how he just related to people,” Scaringe said.
When Scaringe approached Field about leaving his 10-year post in the Assembly to run for Colonie supervisor in 1977, after the retirement of longtime Supervisor William Sanford, it took three hours of persuasion, Scaringe recalled. But Scaringe believes Field loved his 18 years serving as town supervisor more than any other political post he held.
“I decided to leave the Assembly to run for supervisor because I wanted to be CEO of a growing town,” Field told the Times Union in 2002.
His tenure involved overseeing major growth in Colonie as its population rose from about 60,000 to 80,000. His lasting legacies included starting the town's emergency medical services department and buying the historic Pruyn House.
When Field retired from his post in 1995, upwards of 1,000 people attended his retirement party.
“Thirty-four years is a long time,” Field noted at the time. With seven children and 16 grandchildren, “I really haven’t devoted the time to them I should have, and they’re not getting any younger.”
Rick has plenty of fond memories of his father growing up, though. “He always made time,” he said.
Rick remembers going to Colonie Pop Warner football games with his brother, and being surprised the first time he heard his father’s voice booming over the field as the announcer — something he continued for years. He recalls learning handball from his father, a sport his father played until his mid-60s and that Rick continues to play today. And one of his favorite memories was going to a Cohoes ice skating arena, Carlson’s, once a year with his father, and watching his father speed skate around the rink.
“Even in his older age, he had a youthful character,” Rick said.
“I lost a very good friend,” Scaringe said. “I’m gonna miss him.”
Services for Field will be private. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to High Peaks Hospice, 454 Glen St., Glens Falls, NY 12801 or by visiting highpeakshospice.org/donate.