Roman Friedrich III

Roman Friedrich III passed away in Rancho Santa Fe, CA on February 2, 2025, after a brief, critical illness. His family and friends were close.

Roman was born in Queens, NY, January 30, 1946, and graduated Rutgers University and NYU Business School. He joined Chase Manhattan Bank, NY in 1970 and rose quickly to VP Latin America and then President of Chase Manhattan Bank Canada in Toronto. He became Managing Director at Burns Fry/CIBC Wood Gundy, responsible for Mining in the Western Hemisphere. In 1992 he moved to Lancaster Financial/TD Bank in NY responsible for Mining Worldwide. In 1998, living in Rumson, NJ, he created Roman Friedrich & Company LTD, which provided investment banking advisory services to the mining industry, focused on mergers & acquisitions.

Roman was member of the Board of Directors of Zincore Metals, Vancouver with operations in Peru. In 1995 he became a Trustee for the Mutual Funds managed by Claymore Securities, which was acquired by Guggenheim Advisors and, from 2003-2023 he was an Independent Trustee on the Board of Directors of Guggenheim Funds in the US.

After living in West Vancouver, BC for 10 years, Roman and his wife, Stephanie moved to Rancho Santa Fe, CA in 2011. Roman loved medieval history, inspired by a collection of metal model knights who lived during the 100 Years' War between England and France in the 14th & 15th centuries. He wrote several histories of specific knights whose lives and actions exemplified the politics, values and the culture of those times. www.knightswriter.com

For almost 40 years Roman and his wife Stephanie shared their love of history, art, music, food and culture, traveling in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Roman wrote several books on the History, Art and Music of the Holy Roman Empire, of Bologna & Venice, of France and of Israel. In 2014-15 he studied History at the University of California, San Diego.

Roman's lifelong goal of becoming a teacher was satisfied when he studied for two years and became a docent at the San Diego Museum of Art, happily studying and volunteering his time to tour visitors around the collections.

Roman led a charmed life, especially the day he got two holes-in-one, back-to-back on the front nine at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club.

Roman was a devoted father, worked hard and built a beautiful life for his wonderful family. He was blessed with many friends and he lived his life doing what he loved; traveling, studying, writing, appreciating and teaching art. Roman is survived by his wife Stephanie and his children; Alex and his wife Marcela, Amanda, Liza and her husband Ian, John and Caroline, and seven wonderful grandchildren, as well as by his brother Paul and sister Carol and their families.

Donations may be sent to San Diego Museum of Art, www.sdmart.org