Obituary for Frederick J. Shellard
LAKE GEORGE – Frederick John Shellard, 81, former Comptroller for the Town of Colonie, died suddenly, Saturday, October 1, 2022 at his home in Lake George.
He was born in Troy on March 18, 1941, the son of the late John Frederick Shellard and Helen Mackey Shellard. Fred was raised in Watervliet and was a 1959 graduate of LaSalle Institute in Troy. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1960, stationed out of Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, and also in Pakistan as part of the Security Forces.
Fred and Mary married on August 17, 1963. After leaving the Air Force, he attended night school at Hudson Valley Community College while raising three children and working three jobs to support the family. He later graduated from Siena College in Loudonville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Fred wore many hats during his career, but the two jobs he loved most were as Comptroller and Director of Purchasing for Stiefel Laboratories in East Durham, NY during the 1970s and early eighties and then, later as Comptroller for the Town of Colonie. He proudly served as Colonie Town Comptroller from 1986 until his retirement in 2003. After retirement, Fred and Mary spent a year in South Africa, where he served as the Government Finance Consultant to the City of Kimberley as they prepared to be one of the host sites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Fred and Mary raised their family in Latham before moving to Lake George in 2004. For the past 10 years, they wintered in Venice, FL. He was a member of the Colonie Irish and was the Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Albany in 2002. Fred enjoyed golfing, dancing with Mary and, for nearly 40 years, going ‘down to the stadium’ to cheer the Giants – regardless of the weather.
He was a member of the Glens Falls Lodge of Elks #81, the American Legion in Florida, a social member of the Fuller Road Fire Department, and a member of the Harris Bay Yacht Club. He also served on the boards of numerous professional organizations during his career, and especially as Northeast Region Council Chair and member of the Board of Governors of the New York Government Finance Officers’ Association (NYGFOA).
He was a communicant of St. Ambrose Church in Latham for over 30 years, serving on the Finance Committee and as an active member of their Holy Name Society. On moving to Lake George, he was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church.
He is the beloved husband of 59 years of Mary J. O’Keeffe Shellard; devoted father of Frederick W. (Michele) Shellard of Niskayuna, Nora T. (John) Toftegaard of Scotia and Christopher J. (Jacqueline) Shellard, of Rochester, NY; proud grandfather of Alessandra Shellard, John and Meghan Toftegaard, Colin, Madeleine, and Daniel Shellard; dear brother of Gerald (Susan) Shellard of Clifton Park and the late Jack F. (late Marianne) Shellard of Latham. Many beloved nieces and nephews also survive him.
His funeral mass will be Thursday at 10:00 am at St. Ambrose Church, 347 Old Loudon Road, Latham with his dear friend, the Rev. Francis DuBois officiating. Interment will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. Relatives and friends are invited and may also call at the Bowen & Parker Bros. Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Road, Latham on Wednesday from 4-7 pm.
Contributions, in honor of Fred, would be appreciated to the American Heart Association, 4 Atrium Drive, #100, Albany, NY 12205 or to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, 1003 Loudon Road, Cohoes, NY 12047.
Condolence book at bowenandparkerbros.com.
He was born in Troy on March 18, 1941, the son of the late John Frederick Shellard and Helen Mackey Shellard. Fred was raised in Watervliet and was a 1959 graduate of LaSalle Institute in Troy. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1960, stationed out of Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, and also in Pakistan as part of the Security Forces.
Fred and Mary married on August 17, 1963. After leaving the Air Force, he attended night school at Hudson Valley Community College while raising three children and working three jobs to support the family. He later graduated from Siena College in Loudonville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Fred wore many hats during his career, but the two jobs he loved most were as Comptroller and Director of Purchasing for Stiefel Laboratories in East Durham, NY during the 1970s and early eighties and then, later as Comptroller for the Town of Colonie. He proudly served as Colonie Town Comptroller from 1986 until his retirement in 2003. After retirement, Fred and Mary spent a year in South Africa, where he served as the Government Finance Consultant to the City of Kimberley as they prepared to be one of the host sites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Fred and Mary raised their family in Latham before moving to Lake George in 2004. For the past 10 years, they wintered in Venice, FL. He was a member of the Colonie Irish and was the Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Albany in 2002. Fred enjoyed golfing, dancing with Mary and, for nearly 40 years, going ‘down to the stadium’ to cheer the Giants – regardless of the weather.
He was a member of the Glens Falls Lodge of Elks #81, the American Legion in Florida, a social member of the Fuller Road Fire Department, and a member of the Harris Bay Yacht Club. He also served on the boards of numerous professional organizations during his career, and especially as Northeast Region Council Chair and member of the Board of Governors of the New York Government Finance Officers’ Association (NYGFOA).
He was a communicant of St. Ambrose Church in Latham for over 30 years, serving on the Finance Committee and as an active member of their Holy Name Society. On moving to Lake George, he was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church.
He is the beloved husband of 59 years of Mary J. O’Keeffe Shellard; devoted father of Frederick W. (Michele) Shellard of Niskayuna, Nora T. (John) Toftegaard of Scotia and Christopher J. (Jacqueline) Shellard, of Rochester, NY; proud grandfather of Alessandra Shellard, John and Meghan Toftegaard, Colin, Madeleine, and Daniel Shellard; dear brother of Gerald (Susan) Shellard of Clifton Park and the late Jack F. (late Marianne) Shellard of Latham. Many beloved nieces and nephews also survive him.
His funeral mass will be Thursday at 10:00 am at St. Ambrose Church, 347 Old Loudon Road, Latham with his dear friend, the Rev. Francis DuBois officiating. Interment will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. Relatives and friends are invited and may also call at the Bowen & Parker Bros. Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Road, Latham on Wednesday from 4-7 pm.
Contributions, in honor of Fred, would be appreciated to the American Heart Association, 4 Atrium Drive, #100, Albany, NY 12205 or to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, 1003 Loudon Road, Cohoes, NY 12047.
Condolence book at bowenandparkerbros.com.