Harold John Leonard Friedrich III

John Friedrich passed away in his sleep on July 19, 2026, in San Diego.

John was the loving & devoted husband of Cristina Friedrich and dad of Sebastian “Bass” Friedrich. He provided, cared for, and protected his family. He was handsome, strong, and tall at 6’9”. John was intelligent, fun-loving, witty, charismatic, thoughtful, and kind. He was an organized man who got things done and went above & beyond in his work as well as helping others. He was precise and focused.

Born in San Diego on April 10, 1982, John was a cute & happy baby which followed him through childhood. He was always eager to learn and excelled in academics & citizenship. Having learned to read before kindergarten, he would often read to neighbor friends as well as well as his little brother, Sam. At the request of teachers he often tutored receptive classmates. He was a whiz in math which stayed with him throughout his life. John participated in skits in elementary school and middle-school French classes.

John was an active kid outdoors with friends and was not shy about having his little brother tag along. Indoor fun included hours playing with Legos, G.I. Joes, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He and Sam enjoyed playing video games like Mario Brothers and often included their parents. John began playing basketball in 5th grade and once declared “Basketball is my life, man!” John attended Pt. Loma H.S. He continued studying French along with other AP courses. He also continued his love for basketball playing Varsity Center. While a full-time freshman as SDSU, he worked 32 hours a week at Sea World in guest services, moving up into event planning. He worked tirelessly yet enjoyed what he did. In his most recent career working in product/sales management and corporate strategy & development John earned MBA degrees from top universities thru a program he developed for Stanford while at his workplace. He interacted with CEOs nationwide & globally.

John loved his family with his whole heart. His son Bass was the most important person in the world to him! They were very close and enjoyed hanging out whether watching a video with ice waters & snacks or playing basketball at local parks. John taught Bass how to swim when he was younger and they enjoyed time in the pool together - often after rowdy games on the court! Rousing card games of Rummy 500 with mom/grandma were often filled with tear-producing laughter!

John loved outer space and was quite knowledgeable about so many celestial facts. He could explain the difference between stars & nearby planets as we would all look up at the sky, wondering which was which. He enjoyed reading magazines & books about the universe especially by his favorite author, Neil deGrasse Tyson. John said he would have loved being an astrophysicist but they didn’t make much money unless they became famous.

John was an eager participant in as well as contributor to this world. His job here is finished yet ours continues. He would want us to keep doing our best, love each other, and be kind. Time on Planet Earth is brief - make it count! John’s dad welcomed him with open arms and together they’ll stay on our shoulders to guide us.

John is survived by his wife Cristina and son Sebastian (who he nicknamed Bass); mom Marilyn Friedrich and brother Sam Friedrich; niece Avery Friedrich and nephew Joaquín Tanori; lots of out-of-state relatives; and many friends.

John…You are greatly loved and will be sorely missed! You will be forever in our hearts!

Funeral service will be at 1:30 pm on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Beardsley-Mitchell Funeral Home, 1818 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, San Diego, Ca 92107. No viewing.

In lieu of flowers, donations to honor John Friedrich will be graciously accepted by:

1. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego: sdyouth.org

2. Feeding San Diego: feedingsandiego.org