Hugh Kirk Frederick Jr.
Hugh Kirk Frederick Jr. passed away peacefully on Feb. 14 in El Paso, Texas.
Born August 18, 1925, in Wichita, Kan., to Hugh Frederick Sr. and Effie Lavone Frederick, he graduated from North High School in Wichita in 1944. He served in World War II as an infantryman in the United States Army and was stationed in the European Theater from 1944 to 1946 where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He served in the Korean War, was stationed in the Far East Command from 1950 to 1952 and was honorably discharged as a corporal. He was in the reserves until 1958.
Mr. Frederick graduated from Wichita State University in 1950 earning his Bachelors of Business Administration, and served as the president of his fraternity, Phi Upsilon Sigma. He attended Southern Methodist University law school in Dallas in 1954 where he was active in Calyx, Dervish, and Rotary Club of Dallas.
Mr. Frederick began his career in banking at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York while living at the Gramercy Park Hotel. He left New York to work for Republic Bank Dallas in the correspondence department. Subsequently, he moved to Texas Bank and Trust in Dallas as senior vice president in 1958. That same year, he met his lifelong love, Bette Lynn, in her hometown of University Park, and they were married at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in 1959.
In 1971, Mr. Frederick moved with his family to El Paso to become president of American Bank of Commerce. He was later named chairman of the board and CEO of that bank. He retired in 1991 from ABC and sat on the board of several banks in El Paso and Scottsdale, Ariz., before he retired for good.
Mr. Frederick’s active involvement in the El Paso community spanned four decades and had a great impact in her development. His contributions to the community included serving as the president of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce in 1978, chairman of Leadership El Paso, chairman of the board of the El Paso Community Foundation, and chairman of the Arts Alliance. He served on the board of directors for Circle K, the Hervey Foundation, El Paso Community Foundation, UTEP Development Board, Texas Chamber of Commerce, Independent Bankers Association of Texas, El Paso Industrial Development Corporation, and Sun World Savings and Loan.
His many contributions to the community include leadership positions in the Texas Chamber of Commerce, UTEP Excellence, and Texas Bankers Association. He also served the community in various positions for the United Way, El Paso Sun Bowl, and contributed to numerous political campaigns. He was awarded the National Convention of Christians and Jews Humanitarian Award in 1989, received the El Paso Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellowship Award, and was a Rotary Club benefactor.
Mr. Frederick is survived by his treasured wife of 51 years, Bette Lynn Frederick; beloved sister, Betty Jo Graham of El Paso; loving sons, Burt Ford Frederick of Las Cruces, N.M., and Hugh “Kirk” Frederick III; daughter-in-law, Michaele Anne Frederick; grandchildren, Rachel Jane Frederick and Hugh Kirk Frederick IV, all of Dallas. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hugh Kirk Frederick Sr. and Effie Lavone Frederick, and his stepbrother, Wilfrid M. Smith.
A memorial will be held today at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas, in Chapel East. A celebration of Mr. Frederick’s life will be held in El Paso at the Coronado Country Club hosted by his cherished wife, Bette Lynn Frederick, and his beloved sister, Betty Jo Graham. Please honor him with donations to the Hugh K. and Bette Lynn Frederick Fund for the College of Business at UTEP and send to the El Paso Community Foundation, P. O. Box 272, El Paso, Texas 79943 or to the charity of your choice.
