Frederick R. Pole

Submitted By jlk0041 on Wed, 05/11/2022 - 8:49am

Frederick R. Pole, 89, of Denton, who served as a vice president and vice chancellor for UNT for 22 years, died April 19. He was drafted into the U.S. Army as a teenager and rose through the ranks in his 27-year military career, commanding operations around the world and retiring as colonel.

He arrived at North Texas in 1980 as executive assistant to the president and was named vice president for external affairs in 1981 before moving to vice president for administrative affairs in 1982. He took on additional responsibilities in 1999 when he also was appointed vice chancellor for administration for the UNT System, before retiring in 2002. 

Fred oversaw countless construction and renovation projects in his time on campus and supervised areas such as the police department as well as facilities. He also was involved in master planning for the university, with a focus on how UNT would meet the needs of higher education in the future. He and his wife, Barbara, who died in 2020, were members of the Chilton Society, and Fred received an Honorary Alumnus award in 2004.

He was active in his church and community, serving as past chairman of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, Denton County United Way, the Board of Trustees of Denton Community Hospital and the advisory board of Denton YMCA. He also was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 920.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 16, at Mulkey-Bowles-Montgomery Funeral Home, 705 N. Locust St., Denton. A memorial service for Fred and Barbara is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 17, at Southmont Baptist Church, 2801 Pennsylvania Dr., Denton. 

Frederick R. Pole, 89, of Denton, who served as a vice president and vice chancellor for UNT for 22 years, died April 19. He was drafted into the U.S. Army as a teenager and rose through the ranks in his 27-year military career, commanding operations around the world and retiring as colonel.

He arrived at North Texas in 1980 as executive assistant to the president and was named vice president for external affairs in 1981 before moving to vice president for administrative affairs in 1982. He took on additional responsibilities in 1999 when he also was appointed vice chancellor for administration for the UNT System, before retiring in 2002. 

Fred oversaw countless construction and renovation projects in his time on campus and supervised areas such as the police department as well as facilities. He also was involved in master planning for the university, with a focus on how UNT would meet the needs of higher education in the future. He and his wife, Barbara, who died in 2020, were members of the Chilton Society, and Fred received an Honorary Alumnus award in 2004.

He was active in his church and community, serving as past chairman of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, Denton County United Way, the Board of Trustees of Denton Community Hospital and the advisory board of Denton YMCA. He also was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 920.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 16, at Mulkey-Bowles-Montgomery Funeral Home, 705 N. Locust St., Denton. A memorial service for Fred and Barbara is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 17, at Southmont Baptist Church, 2801 Pennsylvania Dr., Denton. 

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