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Frederick Westphal Obituary

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Frederick Westphal

Zachary, LA

October 11, 2016

Frederick Westphal Obituary

Frederick C. Westphal Jr., a native of New Orleans and a longtime resident of Saint Francisville, died Tuesday, October 11, at the age of 104. A visitation will be held on Monday, October 17, 2016 at Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in St. Francisville, LA from 9am until rite of Christian burial services at 11am. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The eldest son of Frederick C. Westphal Sr. and Hazel McMahon Westphal, he was raised in New Orleans, graduating from Warren Easton High School in 1927. After studying accounting at Tulane University, he worked as the head of the Statistical Department at Shell Oil’s facility in New Orleans during the late 1930’s. In 1940 he was recruited by Exxon to serve as Head of Data Processing at its Baton Rouge refinery. After enlisting in the Army in 1942, he was assigned to Arlington Hall, headquarters of the United States Army's Signal Intelligence Service (SIS). The top-secret unit was tasked with cracking the Japanese military code, using then state of the art IBM tabulating equipment. He served as Chief Officer for Systems and Procedures and had been recommended for the Legion of Merit upon his discharge in 1946 with the rank of Major. Returning to Esso’s Baton Rouge refinery, he headed the data processing, financial accounting, and payroll departments between 1946 and 1953, and was elected president of the National Association of Cost Accountants’ Baton Rouge chapter. From 1953 to 1958 he served as Administrative Superintendent of the Esso refinery in Linden N.J., then as General Manager of the company’s Bayonne N.J. refinery from 1959 until 1962. He was active in the Bayonne community, serving as chairman of the Bayonne Industrial Committee, the Labor-Industrial Committee of New Jersey, and the Bayonne Economic Research Council. He was a board member of Saint Elizabeth’s and Hudson County General hospitals, and the local YMCA. Following this stint in Bayonne, he was made Controller of Enjay (now Exxon) Chemical in New York City in 1962. He also served as Director of National Plastic Products Company and Extrudo Film Corporation during this period. From 1965 until his retirement in 1971, Fred’s assignment was Chairman and Chief Executive of a Hong Kong utility, Peninsula Electric Power Company Ltd, the largest electricity generator in the colony. His additional posts were as Chairman of Esso Standard Oil (Hong Kong), and Director of China Light and Power. This investment by Standard Oil New Jersey (later Exxon) was its largest outside the U.S. at the time. He was president of the American Club of Hong Kong and the American Chamber of Commerce. He kept abreast of events happening all over the world as a member of the Foreign Correspondents Club. In his years of retirement, he was active in the Rotary Club of St. Francisville, served as interim administrator of the struggling new West Feliciana Parish Hospital, and served on the first Board of Directors for the newly chartered Bank of St. Francisville. As chairman of the parish planning and zoning committee, he worked tirelessly on projects such as the expansion of US 61 and the design and implementation of parish-wide solid waste disposal. He was also a charter member of Feliciana Chamber of Commerce and was honored as the West Feliciana Civic Club’s “Man of the Year” in 1989. In 1948 Fred married the love of his life, Pauline Blevins, whom he had met while working at the Esso in Baton Rouge. They were married for 65 years until her death in 2013. Survivors include daughters Cathy Anne Thomas, Vicki Marie Grieshaber (Ron), and Frederick Clement (Rick) Westphal III (Sally), grandchildren Andrew Westphal Grieshaber, and Laura Kaitlin Siener Savage (Russell). He is also survived by special nieces and nephews who supported him in his final years, especially Dean, Ginny, and Susan Westphal as well as many members of the Walker, Osterberger, and LeVasseur families. Fred was predeceased by his parents, sister Hazel Elizabeth Shanks, and brother William Marion Westphal. The family wishes to thank Dr. Chaille Daniel and the wonderful staff of the Daniel Clinic in St. Francisville for years of dedicated care and love. Also, the family expresses sincere appreciation to caregivers Frances Washington, Sandra Rue, and Elsie Davis. Without the support and love of these women, Fred could not have spent his final years at his beloved home “Westphalia.” Also, Bridgeway Hospice was of immeasurable assistance, particularly RNs Heather Clark and Kim Pocic. The Deacons of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church in St. Francisville, Zeke Nola and Pat Broussard provided comfort and compassion during his final years. Pallbearers will be Ron Grieshaber, Andrew Grieshaber, Russell Savage, Christophe Levasseur, Gordon Walker, William Dean Westphal, and David Young. Honorary pallbearers will be Pearce Grieshaber, Melvin Harvey, Pat Butler, Al Osterberger, Terry Osterberger, Alain Levasseur, Conville Lemoine, Ronnie Martin, Mickey Melancon, Conville Lemoine, and Carter Leake. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Fred’s name can be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church or to the West Feliciana Animal Humane Society.

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