Rick Friedl

With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Rick Friedl, age 77, who died at home of natural causes on March 17, 2025. Though his journey began in Berwyn, Illinois where he was born on August 31,1947, Rick’s heart ultimately belonged to the California sunshine. At just five years old, he moved with his parents to Southern California, where he would spend the rest of his life.

Rick was born into a devoted Catholic family and served as an altar boy in his youth. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley as the eldest of four, he joined Boy Scout Pack #247 at age 9. In his teenage years he formed a rock band and had the rare honor of becoming a musical correspondent for Billboard. He loved playing guitar, writing songs and singing, and even started Aris Productions where he recorded several singles.

While working on music, he began attending college with an emphasis on History and Political Science. He earned numerous degrees, including Bachelor’s and Master’s from the prestigious universities of USC and UCLA, as well as The University of the State of NY. In fact, he had so many degrees that he was nominated to be in Who’s Who in America, a dictionary that documented the lives of prominent Americans and their accomplishments.

As he realized the rock star dream was fading, his attention turned to teaching. He became a part time instructor at the community college, and later an Associate Professor at his alma maters, USC and UCLA.

Needing full time work, he entered the insurance underwriting world in the mid 1970’s where he received several “Distinguished Salesman” awards over a period of years. He married for the first time in 1977 to Diane, and had 3 children by 1980, Richard, Angela and Ryan.

After many years in insurance, college came calling again in 1982 and Rick returned to USC to fulfil a lifelong dream, earning his PhD. This entailed traveling outside of the US, for the first time, to Cuba to work on his dissertation. Being immersed in a different culture was something he found very intriguing and a profound experience in his life.

Ready for a new challenge after a decade in insurance, Rick was motivated by his father to enter law school. He attended Western State College of Law and at age 40 graduated with his Juris Doctor degree, passing the Bar Exam on his first attempt. As luck would have it, he found work as an attorney … in the insurance industry!

Finding it hard to stay in one profession too long, and looking for a way to work from home, he got the idea to get his Real Estate License and started buying and selling land. He relocated his family away from the city and into the slower paced High Desert in 1989.

Rick had an enduring fondness for the desert, a place many questioned but one he defended. He loved being able to see the landscape stretch for miles, with endless sunlit skies above. Living away from the big city provided him comforting peace.

In 1994 he was hired by the Los Angeles Unified School District as a Workers Comp Supervisor, a role that eventually brought him to Dawn, his second wife. Their bond reinvigorated him, and together they built a quiet life surrounded by family, dogs, and love. Soon he welcomed his 4th child, Ariana, and this meant it was finally time to retire from the office world and work from home, which he did until his death.

Rick’s curiosity knew no limits. He was fascinated by the mysteries of the world, and often wondered about the afterlife. He believed deeply in the unseen. He spoke of Jesus in his later years, and the hope that his loved ones were waiting for him in heaven. Rick found comfort in the idea that his faithful dogs would greet him at the Rainbow Bridge, tails wagging.

Intellectual conversations about history, politics, and cultures of the world are what excited him most. He collected coins and stamps most of his life, and had a fascination with CARS! He estimated he owned over 200 of them, and those that knew him could confirm! He loved Sci-Fi movies, and was usually found on the couch listening to 60’s music, and occasionally latin sounds from the Caribbean.

An endearing mix of warmth and worry, his quirks made him unforgettable. He was a prepper at heart, always ready for what he believed was just around the corner, a financial crash, a nuclear threat, or some new world catastrophe. Yet despite his stubborn concerns, Rick’s heart was ultimately gentle. He was known for his calm demeanor and quick witted humor. It was very rare for him to ever raise his voice.

Rick’s love for his family was steadfast, even throughout changes in his life. He is survived by his four children, Richard, Angela, Ryan, Ariana, and his sole grandchild Inez. His first wife Diane remained a caring friend to him until the end. He also leaves behind his younger siblings, Robert, Randall, and Susan. Rick was preceded in death by his parents Ray and Ione, and his beloved wife Dawn, who passed away one year prior and he missed very much.

While he spent much of his life bracing for hardship, we are comforted to know that he no longer has to worry. He is finally at peace, no longer burdened by the concerns of this world. Instead, we choose to believe that he is somewhere warm and bright, where his faithful dogs are by his side, his wife’s hand is in his, and the horizon stretches endlessly before him, clear and calm at last.