Paul Erik Frederiksen was born at Baylor Hospital in Dallas on October 4, 1967 and passed away on March 12, 2021. The following can only provide a hint of the impact that he left on those that knew him in between those dates.
Paul was a 1986 graduate of Lake Highlands High School. As soon as he discovered that knowledge was power (and would help him earn meaningful employment), he earned an undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University and later dual masters degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington in City & Regional Planning and Public Administration.
Paul dedicated his career to public service in municipal management roles for the City of Dallas, as City Administrator for Shenandoah, TX, Assistant City Manager of Colleyville, TX, Vice President for the Las Colinas Association, Town Manager of Argyle, TX, and Assistant City Manager and Interim City Manager for the City of Duncanville, TX. He was active in professional organizations such as TCMA, TxAPA, APA and NASPAA, and held the AICP and CPM professional designations.
When not serving his community, Paul treasured spending time with Jackie and their three sons, raising them according to his beloved Danish heritage. He loved to compete at anything, from a game of Risk to a hand of Bjoerik. He enjoyed working out with his friends at the Duncanville Fire Department, loved hunting, golfing, cycling and was a bourbon enthusiast. He had an eclectic taste in music with a fondness for movie soundtracks, and was an amateur drummer himself. While he enjoyed listening to stand up comedy, he was the one who made others laugh with the same dry, uproarious sense of humor he inherited from his dad. Also inherited was his love of reading books (the thicker the better), with a penchant for history, politics, and biographies.
Paul’s family took precedence above all. In his official capacity as the country club head lifeguard/ pool manager, he once hired a smart, cute, and fun-loving girl to work on his team. His greatest accomplishment in life was to convince that cute lifeguard to marry him so they could raise a team of lifeguards (who put their training into practice in Florida in 2015 by saving one boy’s life while Paul saved another). Paul’s three boys were raised to have the same sense of values and tradition that Paul and Jackie learned from their families. It is impossible to overstate how much Paul loved his sons and the joy that they brought him.
Everyone who knew Paul understood him to be a man of integrity, humility, wisdom and humor. Paul will be incredibly missed.
Paul is survived by Jackie, his devoted wife of 28 years, and sons Erik Nicholas, Hayden Paul and Preston Brandt. He is also survived by siblings Mark Frederiksen and wife Angela, Amy Pinney and husband Marc, Emily Frederiksen, Lars Frederiksen and wife Jordan. He is survived by his mother Susan Heer and stepfather Darvin, his stepmother Patsy Frederiksen, grandparents Harvey and Rila Ladd and grandmother Marj Frederiksen. He will be deeply missed by all of his immediate and greater family—an incredible collection of aunts, uncles, cousins, step-siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and others too numerous to name here but just as cherished by Paul.
He is preceded in death by his father Jan Erik Frederiksen, grandparents Raymond and Sara Frederiksen, and grandmother Patricia Ladd.
An Expression of Gratitude. Thank you to everyone that has joined us today for the plethora of support and loving remarks, both in person and virtually. Your words of comfort and expressions of kindness are deeply appreciated.--The Frederiksen Family
A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 19th at 1 pm at Northwood Church in Keller. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Project or a charity of your choice.