San Francisco socialite and grandson of pioneers, Fredrick Joseph Hirth passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, December 11th, 2016. Fred was 93 years old. Born in Richmond, California on August 29th, 1923, he attended elementary school in Richmond, and High School at St. Joseph's in Alameda. Fred served his country during World War II in the army medical corps, and was stationed in Somerset, England between 1943 and 1946. During this time he attended injured servicemen returning from war, and traveled to London often where he witnessed the nightly German Lufwaffle bombing raids known as "the Blitz".
After the war he attended the University of San Francisco and the University of Oregon from 1946 to 1950. After graduation, he returned to Europe, living in Paris in 1950 where he worked in the United States embassy during the Marshall Plan. Later he worked in Barcelona and Madrid for Pedro Rodriguez, a top Spanish fashion designer. In 1956 he moved to New York City where he continued to work in the fashion industry for the next eight years including stints at the Bergdorf, Bonwit-Teller and Ballantyne companies. In the early nineteen-sixty's he moved to Los Angeles for a short time, then back home to San Francisco where he initially worked for San Francisco fashion designer Nathalie Nicole, and at the Emporium at the Stonestown shopping center. Later he transitioned to the real estate industry where he worked as an agent with the Shirley Talbot firm. He retired in the late 1970's.
He met many lifelong friends throughout his travels, and while living in some of the great cities of the world. He enjoyed entertaining these friends and family at his Sacramento St. and Broadway St. flats in San Francisco as well as at his property in Napa County. He traveled often to Europe, South America and Palm Beach, Florida to stay connected with acquaintances. One of Fred's pastimes was studying the history of early California, he United States and Europe. Known as something of a raconteur, he enjoyed sharing these stories, as well as his experiences with the wealthy and titled nobility that had been part of his life. He will be missed dearly by so many.
Fred was preceded in death by his grandfather German immigrant and gold rush pioneer Felix F. Schoenstein founder of the Schoenstein Organ Company in San Francisco, and his grandmother Magdalene. He is also preceded by his father Joseph Hirth from Gunningen Germany, and his mother Helen Schoenstein Hirth, his brothers Walter Francis Hirth and Harold Hirth, his sister Helen Hirth Turkovich, his brother-in-law Walter Turkovich, and his dear friend Andreas Niedermeier. Never married, Fred is surviving by his sister-in-law Audrey Morris Hirth, ten (10) nephews and nieces, twenty-four (24) grand nephews and nieces eight (8) great grand nephews and nieces and God willing, four (4) more on the way.
Services will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2390 Bush Street, San Francisco, Ca, at 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, January 12, 2016.
The family requests that any gifts be donated in Fred's name to the charities that Fred supported including Catholic Charities of San Francisco, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and/or the Society of Mary--Marianist Brothers.
Published San Francisco Chronicle, December 25, 2016, page C6, column 1.
After the war he attended the University of San Francisco and the University of Oregon from 1946 to 1950. After graduation, he returned to Europe, living in Paris in 1950 where he worked in the United States embassy during the Marshall Plan. Later he worked in Barcelona and Madrid for Pedro Rodriguez, a top Spanish fashion designer. In 1956 he moved to New York City where he continued to work in the fashion industry for the next eight years including stints at the Bergdorf, Bonwit-Teller and Ballantyne companies. In the early nineteen-sixty's he moved to Los Angeles for a short time, then back home to San Francisco where he initially worked for San Francisco fashion designer Nathalie Nicole, and at the Emporium at the Stonestown shopping center. Later he transitioned to the real estate industry where he worked as an agent with the Shirley Talbot firm. He retired in the late 1970's.
He met many lifelong friends throughout his travels, and while living in some of the great cities of the world. He enjoyed entertaining these friends and family at his Sacramento St. and Broadway St. flats in San Francisco as well as at his property in Napa County. He traveled often to Europe, South America and Palm Beach, Florida to stay connected with acquaintances. One of Fred's pastimes was studying the history of early California, he United States and Europe. Known as something of a raconteur, he enjoyed sharing these stories, as well as his experiences with the wealthy and titled nobility that had been part of his life. He will be missed dearly by so many.
Fred was preceded in death by his grandfather German immigrant and gold rush pioneer Felix F. Schoenstein founder of the Schoenstein Organ Company in San Francisco, and his grandmother Magdalene. He is also preceded by his father Joseph Hirth from Gunningen Germany, and his mother Helen Schoenstein Hirth, his brothers Walter Francis Hirth and Harold Hirth, his sister Helen Hirth Turkovich, his brother-in-law Walter Turkovich, and his dear friend Andreas Niedermeier. Never married, Fred is surviving by his sister-in-law Audrey Morris Hirth, ten (10) nephews and nieces, twenty-four (24) grand nephews and nieces eight (8) great grand nephews and nieces and God willing, four (4) more on the way.
Services will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2390 Bush Street, San Francisco, Ca, at 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, January 12, 2016.
The family requests that any gifts be donated in Fred's name to the charities that Fred supported including Catholic Charities of San Francisco, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and/or the Society of Mary--Marianist Brothers.
Published San Francisco Chronicle, December 25, 2016, page C6, column 1.
San Francisco socialite and grandson of pioneers, Fredrick Joseph Hirth passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, December 11th, 2016. Fred was 93 years old. Born in Richmond, California on August 29th, 1923, he attended elementary school in Richmond, and High School at St. Joseph's in Alameda. Fred served his country during World War II in the army medical corps, and was stationed in Somerset, England between 1943 and 1946. During this time he attended injured servicemen returning from war, and traveled to London often where he witnessed the nightly German Lufwaffle bombing raids known as "the Blitz".
After the war he attended the University of San Francisco and the University of Oregon from 1946 to 1950. After graduation, he returned to Europe, living in Paris in 1950 where he worked in the United States embassy during the Marshall Plan. Later he worked in Barcelona and Madrid for Pedro Rodriguez, a top Spanish fashion designer. In 1956 he moved to New York City where he continued to work in the fashion industry for the next eight years including stints at the Bergdorf, Bonwit-Teller and Ballantyne companies. In the early nineteen-sixty's he moved to Los Angeles for a short time, then back home to San Francisco where he initially worked for San Francisco fashion designer Nathalie Nicole, and at the Emporium at the Stonestown shopping center. Later he transitioned to the real estate industry where he worked as an agent with the Shirley Talbot firm. He retired in the late 1970's.
He met many lifelong friends throughout his travels, and while living in some of the great cities of the world. He enjoyed entertaining these friends and family at his Sacramento St. and Broadway St. flats in San Francisco as well as at his property in Napa County. He traveled often to Europe, South America and Palm Beach, Florida to stay connected with acquaintances. One of Fred's pastimes was studying the history of early California, he United States and Europe. Known as something of a raconteur, he enjoyed sharing these stories, as well as his experiences with the wealthy and titled nobility that had been part of his life. He will be missed dearly by so many.
Fred was preceded in death by his grandfather German immigrant and gold rush pioneer Felix F. Schoenstein founder of the Schoenstein Organ Company in San Francisco, and his grandmother Magdalene. He is also preceded by his father Joseph Hirth from Gunningen Germany, and his mother Helen Schoenstein Hirth, his brothers Walter Francis Hirth and Harold Hirth, his sister Helen Hirth Turkovich, his brother-in-law Walter Turkovich, and his dear friend Andreas Niedermeier. Never married, Fred is surviving by his sister-in-law Audrey Morris Hirth, ten (10) nephews and nieces, twenty-four (24) grand nephews and nieces eight (8) great grand nephews and nieces and God willing, four (4) more on the way.
Services will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2390 Bush Street, San Francisco, Ca, at 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, January 12, 2016.
The family requests that any gifts be donated in Fred's name to the charities that Fred supported including Catholic Charities of San Francisco, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and/or the Society of Mary--Marianist Brothers.
Published San Francisco Chronicle, December 25, 2016, page C6, column 1.
After the war he attended the University of San Francisco and the University of Oregon from 1946 to 1950. After graduation, he returned to Europe, living in Paris in 1950 where he worked in the United States embassy during the Marshall Plan. Later he worked in Barcelona and Madrid for Pedro Rodriguez, a top Spanish fashion designer. In 1956 he moved to New York City where he continued to work in the fashion industry for the next eight years including stints at the Bergdorf, Bonwit-Teller and Ballantyne companies. In the early nineteen-sixty's he moved to Los Angeles for a short time, then back home to San Francisco where he initially worked for San Francisco fashion designer Nathalie Nicole, and at the Emporium at the Stonestown shopping center. Later he transitioned to the real estate industry where he worked as an agent with the Shirley Talbot firm. He retired in the late 1970's.
He met many lifelong friends throughout his travels, and while living in some of the great cities of the world. He enjoyed entertaining these friends and family at his Sacramento St. and Broadway St. flats in San Francisco as well as at his property in Napa County. He traveled often to Europe, South America and Palm Beach, Florida to stay connected with acquaintances. One of Fred's pastimes was studying the history of early California, he United States and Europe. Known as something of a raconteur, he enjoyed sharing these stories, as well as his experiences with the wealthy and titled nobility that had been part of his life. He will be missed dearly by so many.
Fred was preceded in death by his grandfather German immigrant and gold rush pioneer Felix F. Schoenstein founder of the Schoenstein Organ Company in San Francisco, and his grandmother Magdalene. He is also preceded by his father Joseph Hirth from Gunningen Germany, and his mother Helen Schoenstein Hirth, his brothers Walter Francis Hirth and Harold Hirth, his sister Helen Hirth Turkovich, his brother-in-law Walter Turkovich, and his dear friend Andreas Niedermeier. Never married, Fred is surviving by his sister-in-law Audrey Morris Hirth, ten (10) nephews and nieces, twenty-four (24) grand nephews and nieces eight (8) great grand nephews and nieces and God willing, four (4) more on the way.
Services will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 2390 Bush Street, San Francisco, Ca, at 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, January 12, 2016.
The family requests that any gifts be donated in Fred's name to the charities that Fred supported including Catholic Charities of San Francisco, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and/or the Society of Mary--Marianist Brothers.
Published San Francisco Chronicle, December 25, 2016, page C6, column 1.
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