NEW SCOTLAND — Jacob Timothy Albright was a seeker.

A gifted artist, an animal lover, and a musician, he loved to read and learn new things.

He died on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024 — “entering heaven to be with his grandmothers,” his parents wrote in a tribute. He was 39.

He was born to proud parents on June 4, 1984. “Being an only child, he was the love of his parents’ life,” they wrote.

When Jacob was 11 days old, “We took him for a hike on the Indian Ladder Trail,” said his father, Timothy Albright. Jacob rode in a pack carried by his mother, Susan Albright.

“He was observant; his eyes darted all around,” said his father. “He wasn’t a baby who cried a lot. He grew up surrounded by the orchards and forests of Indian Ladder Farms.”

His father worked at the farm and became its manager. His mother was a teacher but she stayed home for the first four years of Jacob’s life to raise him.

From kindergarten through eighth grade, he went to the Blessed Sacrament School in Albany where his mother taught.

“He liked science and art the most,” said his father. “He enjoyed studying minerals, different types of stones, and fossils. He liked to collect them. He still has the collection.”

In ninth grade, he went to the public high school in Voorheesville, Clayton A. Bouton, from which he graduated four years later.

He took painting classes with Beverly Carhart who lived on Picard Road and he did both watercolors and oil painting.

He mostly painted landscapes, his father said, often of western terrain like the Rocky Mountains but he also painted local scenes, “the forests and fields around the house — and he painted scenes from his imagination.”

Mr. Albright went on to do wood carving, which he taught himself. At first, he carved from applewood. “But all the big old apple trees disappeared. He moved on to basswood and oak,” said his father.

He described the faces his son carved as “whimsical” and has them displayed on revolving pedestals.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Albright worked as a roofer for seven years. “He’d carry big bundles of shingles for large industrial projects like prisons and warehouses,” his father said. “He got tanned and crispy.”

His father worried that the work was dangerous and that he got too much sun. “He needed to be independent and earn a living,” he said.

Mr. Albright then worked as a short-order cook at diners. “He was a good cook,” his father said. He eventually worked doing odd jobs like painting and yard work.

Mr. Albright played the keyboard and bass guitar and “put together a group of guys,” his father said, describing their music as “grunge rock.”

“He did this for years,” he said. “His band was active for a time testing their skills and music with pride at small local clubs,” said the tribute.

Mr. Albright had a lifelong love of animals and at the time of his death had three cats — a gray tiger and two black cats. “I hope I can find a good home for them,” his father said.

“His smile was contagious and he would surprise many with his knowledge of science and religion,” the tribute said. “The world and sky held many mysteries for him and he sought to understand them.”

“He had a great laugh,” his father said. “I’ll never forget it.”

His father also said, “Jacob always surprised me and his mother, reciting things from the Bible.” He was interested in various religions, his father said. “He always wanted to find out something new.”

Mr. Albright was a constant reader with an excellent vocabulary, his father said. “He’d tell you interesting things you didn’t know.”

“He had a talent for understanding what others could not see in everyday life,” the tribute said. “He was always in search of peace in the world but discovered it was difficult to find.

“Jacob’s family and friends will dearly miss him and his laughter. He is so loved and always will be.”

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Jacob Timothy Albright is survived by his parents, Susan and Timothy Albright.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville at 68 Maple Ave. in the village.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave., Menands, NY 12204. Contributions for funeral expenses may be made to a gofundme page.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer