Joseph Friedkin Obituary

Joseph F. Friedkin passed on at the age of 98 on the evening of January 14, 2008. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to El Paso, Texas when he was 6. He attended El Paso schools and graduated in civil engineering from the Texas College of Mines (now UTEP) with honors in 1932. He began work at the International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Section in 1934, where he worked for over 50 years. He was appointed Commissioner of the IBWC in 1962 by US President John F. Kennedy, and served until his retirement in 1986. In 1968 he was accorded the rank of Ambassador by US President Lyndon B. Johnson, and he received the US Department of State Distinguished Honor Award in 1986 for his outstanding service and contribution to a peaceful Chamizal Settlement in El Paso. He was kind and good and fair and he always looked at the bright side of life. He is an inspiration to all who knew him. Joe was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Nellie May Berry Friedkin, his brother Kenneth Friedkin, and his parents Joel and Irene Hedden Friedkin. He is survived by his sister Irene Friedkin Horn and her family, his daughters Jonell Friedkin Monschke and Kim Friedkin Self and their families, and his nephew Tom Friedkin and his family. He was greatly loved and he loved greatly. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the YMCA Foundation, 701 Montana, El Paso, TX 79902, an organization Joe supported throughout his life. Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler Dr., El Paso, TX 79912.

Published by El Paso Times from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Joseph Friedkin

6 Entries

Liz Lopz

January 21, 2008

Mr. Friedkin was a wonderful person. I met him upon one of his visits to the USIBWC a few years back. His accomplishments as U.S. Commissioner for the United States is to be greatly admired.

We will miss this wonderful gentleman!

USIBWC Employee

USIBWC employee

January 21, 2008

JOSEPH P. FRIEDKINMr. Friedkin was born in New York City, the son of a Russian-born tailor and an American mother. Attended El Paso High and the Texas College of Mines (now UTEP) where he served as Student Body President and helped to organize the first College of Mines Band. He was appointed by President Kennedy and is the 2nd longest serving Commissioner in , 1962-1986, serving in the administrations of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. In 1968, President Johnson accorded Commissioner Friedkin the personal rank of Ambassador.

Began work at the USIBWC in 1934 and served the Commission for 48 of the next 52 years, with postings in Calexico, San Diego, and El Paso.
Conducted field investigations for the 1944 Water Treaty and Served as Supervising Engineering for construction of Falcon Dam. He was a Technical Advisor to the Department of State in negotiating the Chamizal Treaty (1963) that settled the centurylong boundary dispute between the United States and Mexico in El Paso-Juarez. He was known as the architect of the Chamizal Treaty. He was instrumental in the completion of construction of Amistad Dam at Del Rio. So much so that upon his retirement, the Del Rio Rotary held a special luncheon in his honor. As the local newspaper reported, “The Rotarians pulled out all of the stops to express admiration for Friedkin.” He also had a key role in the settlement of the salinity problem on the Colorado River and implemented the 1970 Boundary Treaty

He received State Department’s Superior Honor Award in 1964 for superior service in the discharge of duties of the United States Commissioner and the Distinguished Honor Award and gold medal from Sec. of State George Schultz in 1986. Excerpt from the award, “Under his capable leadership, the IBWC has been a prime example of effective US-Mexico cooperation and a model of its kind throughout the world.” In 1980, Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo presented him with the Pan American Engineering Award of the Pan American Union of Associations of Engineers in Mexico City. As a longtime friend and El Paso’s Collector of Customs Ray Dwigans said, “They picked a hell of a good man. The record shows that. He’s very serious in his work and he’s smart. He’s really straightened that boundary commission out. And no tainted brush has ever been put on Joe Friedkin.”

Following Hurricane Beulah in 1967, Friedkin toured the Lower Rio Grande Valley by helicopter with President Lyndon Johnson. As they flew over the homes of Lloyd Bentsen and the late V.F. “Doc” Neuhaus, LBJ told Friedkin, “You be damned sure you don’t flood them.” They were flooded the next day, Friedkin recalled in a 1986 newspaper interview. Soon after that, the Commission received appropriations for the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project. Congressman Kika de la Garza of the Lower Rio Grande of Texas praised Friedkin in 1974, noting, “I have known and worked with Commissioner Friedkin before and since my election to Congress in 1964. Through all these years I have observed his determination and dedication not only to improve relations with our neighbor to the south that fall within his responsibilities but also to improve the quality of life for the people living along the United States-Mexican border.” During Friedkin’s tenure, President Lyndon Johnson went to El Paso for the 1968 dedication of the Chamizal project and President Richard Nixon to the Amistad Dam dedication the following year. “I had the good opportunity to meet both of them,” Friedkin recalls. “They both seemed to be very pleased with what we had done working with Mexico.” The biggest change Friedkin saw during his years at the Commission was the development of the border, noting in a 2001 interview, “The cities and towns grew and we grew with then. We resolved a lot of differences which facilitated business along the boundary.”

He also attributed his success in part to the excellent relationship he had with Mexican Commissioner David Herrera Jordan which allowed the two Sections to reach agreement to develop and implement joint projects.

www.ibwc.state.gov

Nancy Cole

January 21, 2008

My heart goes out to your family as you grieve death and celebrate a life well spent. Joe was a dear, gentle man. I was glad to have known him.

Joaquin Bustamante III

January 21, 2008

I met Commissioner Friedkin when he was my father's American counterpart in the IBWC. He was very pleasant and an extremely knowledgeable and caring person. Please accept my family's deepest sympathies.

Denise O'Brien

January 20, 2008

We truly enjoed Joe the short time we knew him. Joe's family is in our hearts and prayers.

Tobie Neller

January 19, 2008

Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. What a wonderful man he was to have around for such a long time in your lives!

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 results