Stephen and Barbara Friedrich

Roswell, GA — Stephen Miro Friedrich, 78, died early Monday, July 11, 2011, following a courageous battle with prostate cancer. He leaves his wife of 56 years, Barbara (Kissock) Friedrich; his daughters, Jodie (Jack) Richey, Barbara Fisher, Jennifer (Keith) Stallter, Stephanie Fisher and Susan (Jim) Kleeman; nine grandchildren; brother, Jan L. Friedrich of Pompton Plains, NJ; nieces, nephews and many close friends. Stephen was born October 13, 1932 in Paterson, NJ, to the late Miro and Jarmilla Friedrich. After graduation from North Haledon High School, he attended Lehigh University and earned his Electrical Engineering degree in 1954. Steve met Barbara, a freshman at Centenary College, and after two years they were married on August 14, 1954 in Golf, IL. A position with General Motors took the newlyweds to Flint, MI. Shortly after, Steve fulfilled his service to his country by joining the US Air Force as ROTC Lieutenant for two years, based in Dayton, OH. Steve was offered a position with RCA after his service, and moved his young family to Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA and began what became a long and successful corporate career. Interested in politics, Steve began his own conservative radio program on Saturday mornings in Boston, and was an active and influential supporter of Barry Goldwater in his run for president in 1964. Steve’s career flourished during the 1970’s and 1980’s where he earned his reputation as “Mr. Fix-it” for ailing companies and served as General Manager, President and CEO of companies such as Emerson Electric, ITT, KDI and Liberty Loan Corp. His career took the Friedrich family to St. Louis, MO; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Jupiter, FL; Raleigh, NC; Morristown, NJ and Atlanta, GA. After “retirement” in 1982, Steve started his second career as Entrepreneur and opened businesses including a pizza delivery store (The Pizza Transit Authority), an electronic recruiting services company (The Registry) and his final venture, owner of The Credit Bureau of Dallas in Atlanta, GA for the last 15 years. Steve’s crowning achievement and greatest joy was his 56 year marriage to Barbara and their family of five daughters, their spouses and his nine grandchildren. Steve and Barbara became avid travelers and cruised the world with friends and family. A private memorial service will be held on August 14, 2011. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Sam Robb Fund in his memory. Checks should be made out to CURE Childhood Cancer, with “Sam Robb Fund” written on the notes line. Mail checks to: CURE Childhood Cancer, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite N-402, Atlanta, GA 30338 or visit www.curechildhoodcancer.org.

Barbara E. Friedrich (Kissock) died peacefully in her home on October 23, 2011, with her five daughters by her side. She was 77 years old. Barbara’s husband, Stephen M. Friedrich precedes her in death three months earlier, July 2011.

Barbara was born on March 19, 1934, the only child of the late Gladys and William Kissock, in Brooklyn, NY. After six moves, Barbara graduated from New Trier High School in Chicago. An accomplished swimmer, Barbara was a candidate for the 1952 summer Olympics but instead opted to attend Centenary College in Hackensack, NJ where she focused on her love for the Arts. She met her husband, Stephen, a graduate of Lehigh University and they married August 14, 1954.

Barbara and Stephen relocated more than twenty times during their 56 year marriage and in 1977 Barbara co-authored the anecdotal “how-to” moving book, “Did Somebody Pack the Baby”. Barbara was an active volunteer in the communities in which she lived, giving her time to such charities as the local Humane Societies, the St. Louis Zoo, The Beverly Hospital and most recently, the Roswell Public Library in Roswell, GA. She always believed that her greatest achievement and true joy were her roles as wife, mother to her daughters and their spouses and grandmother.

Surviving Barbara are her daughters, Jodie (Jack) Richey, Barbara Fisher, Jennifer (Keith) Stallter, Stephanie Fisher and Susan (Jim) Kleeman; her grandchildren, Jack and Alex Richey, Kim Fisher, Katie Boschert, Brian and Cody Stallter, Will and Courtney Fisher, and Stephen Kleeman; in-laws Jan and Arline Friedrich and their family.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association or to the Sam Robb CURE Childhood Cancer fund, www.curechildhoodcancer.org.