Saratoga Springs, NY - Fred "Harpo" DiBlasi passed away Friday (December 3, 2010) at the Wesley Health Care Center, where he has resided for the past five years. He was 79. Born on Dec. 27, 1930 in Amsterdam, he was the son of the late Dominick and Antoinette (Fariello) DiBlasi and one of their five children. Fred married the late Jeanette Slusarz DiBlasi in 1971. A US Navy veteran for three years, he was stationed in Cuba and upon returning home following service, he operated a service station in Amsterdam for over seven years. One day a man came to the gas station and asked Fred if he would be interested in exercising his horses for him. Fred gladly accepted this and became a farrier. He attended Cornel University where he received his degree and went to work at Vernon Downs in Syracuse until 1960. He then came to work in Saratoga Springs at the track. Excelling at his job, he was not afraid to tell you so himself and many people would come miles to have Freddy shoe their horses. After retiring from the track in 1992, Fred and his wife Jeanette would travel around Florida in their RV. Freddy loved Florida as he spoke about it all the time. He also drove a school bus for some time after leaving the track and it is said that the kids really loved having Freddy as their driver and they all respected him. He had a wonderful way with people and everyone who knew him liked him very much and it was much the same with children. During his years in Saratoga Springs, Fred was a boxing coach at the Saratoga Youth Boxing Club. In 1994, Fred contracted Guillain Barre Syndrome, which he never fully recovered from, which resulted in being partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. A mild setback for Freddy though, who always had a positive attitude and would say you have to play the hand you are dealt, a fitting statement from a man who also loved to play cards. Fred also had a great love for animals. He and his wife would rescue and nurse sick abandoned cats, had a couple of favorite dogs and a horse named Spots. Freddy enjoyed fishing and fixing old cars, especially Oldsmobiles, and he owned over ten in his lifetime. Fred loved baseball and the New York Yankees. A man who loved to tell jokes and make people smile, he loved his family and his friends and was loved and will be missed by many. In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by one sister, Carmella DiBlasi-Greco-Montenaro, a brother-in-law, William "John" Ford, all of Amsterdam and a nephew Daniel Ford. Survivors include two sisters, Sophia Ford, Roseanne Smith and her husband Pierre, all of Amsterdam; one brother, Daniel DiBlasi and his wife Wilma of Pennsylvania, one brother-in-law, Robert Montenaro of Amsterdam and several nieces, nephews and cousins. A special thank you to the staff at Wesley Health Care for their kind attention and care to Freddy over the years. Relatives and friends may call from 4 to 7pm Tuesday (Dec. 7, 2010) at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway (584-5373). Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30am Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow at 12noon at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Duell Road, Schuylerville. Memorials may be made in his name to the SPCA of Upstate New York, 454 Queensbury Ave., Queensbury, NY 12804. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.