George Saddler

September 1925 - January 2026

It is with deep sadness that AFICS/NY announces the passing of Mr. George Floyd Saddler, former President of AFICS/NY (1994–2001), former President of FAFICS, and an Honorary Member of the AFICS/NY Governing Board.

Mr. Saddler celebrated his 100th birthday in September 2025. He will be remembered with great respect and appreciation by his colleagues and friends in the AFICS/NY and FAFICS communities.

A memorial service will be held on April 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Riverdale. The service will also be broadcast on the church’s website.

christchurchriverdale.org

Mr. Saddler’s wishes were that any contributions made in his honor be given to Christ Church Riverdale or the American Cancer Society.

This article by Delia Barcelona, drawn from her interview with Mr. George Saddler on 6 November 2023, offers a glimpse into his life and service shortly before his 98th birthday.

George F. Saddler at 98: An Extraordinary International Civil Servant

When I arrived at the Five Star Premier Residences, a retirement community facility in Yonkers New York, George was queued up along with other senior residents of the building, for his fourth Covid-19 vaccine booster shot. Right after that, he motioned to his aide, Patricia, to lead us to the dining hall room where we were served a sit-down meal, with options from a printed menu, prepared daily by the dining crew led by the residence’s excellent chef. George ordered Chicken Tenders and Pasta Fagioli soup. He also asked for hot sauce – a constant additive to his food.

When I asked him if he observed any diet, he said, “No, I eat anything. The only thing that I don’t eat are the table legs!” Obviously, he had not lost his sense of humor.

George Saddler turned 98 years old on September 27, 2023. 

He is known to many UN retirees as the second President of the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS) a role he carried out with conviction, excellence and committed leadership from 1999-2004. In fact, he was the first person to be given the title "President," as during his tenure, the Council formally changed the title of the head of the Federation from "Chair" to "President," making him the first to hold this designation.  He recalled several retirees with whom he worked closely during that period, including his predecessor at FAFICS, Aamir Ali, and his successor, Witold Zyzz, both of whom have since passed away.

Photo with the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan during one of his first meetings as FAFICS

President. 

On the origins of FAFICS, George said, “perhaps I am the only one remaining from those days when FAFICS was initially organized with the five original members: Geneva, New York, Rome, Paris and London." He was pleased to know that FAFICS has now grown, some two decades later, to 64 member Associations.  

He added, , “I believe that I am the only person still around who was at the original meeting with the Secretary General UThant when he authorised the creation of AFICS/ NY when he stated that AFICS /NY would be financed within the resources of the UN regular budget."  He mentioned another retiree, Molly Bruce, apparently the one who wrote the Document on the origins of AFICS NY.

 "The first association for UN retirees, to my recollection was created in the ILO because the ILO which was the international organisation that dealt with the workers. It’s normal and appropriate for the ILO to be the international organisation that created the first AFICS. In fact, the first UN Pension Scheme was also created in the ILO.” While talking about ILO, he also remembered a friend and former UNESCO colleague Charles Lamuniere whose mother was known to be one of the last surviving persons who continued to receive her pension from the original ILO pension scheme because all of the ILO staff were given the option of transferring their pension entitlement into the UN Pension Fund and they did so when it was created.

“The ILO created AAFI/AFICS in Geneva, which became the first retiree association in the UN System because in New York, there were obviously no UN retirees and initially, the retirees, when there were a few were considered within the umbrella of the New York UN Staff Association. This arrangement continued until the number of retirees grew and (it was clear that) the New York UN Staff Association was not concerned with the same group of issues as the retirees, i.e. pension and insurance, as opposed to salaries, working conditions, home leave, etc. Thus, there was a division between the two groups, UN staff and UN pensioners that remains evident today, to me at least, it appears that there is a gulf between the two UN groups, even though all staff who become eligible will someday retire and thus they should, in my view, have a concern for their future status. But they don’t appear to be that concerned about this issue." 

His advice to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) and all UN System agencies, is that they must ensure that those agencies have competent people to handle retiree pension benefits.

His experience with FAFICS was made more significant by the fact that he was also President of AFICS/New York at the same time. He said there was a lot of work involved but, in a way, it proved beneficial, because his supportive and loving wife had died shortly before he became President of AFICS/New York. “My grieving was not as severe as it could have been because of the work involvement with FAFICS and AFICS/New York”. 

His introduction to FAFICS did not come overnight, it was based on his long career with both the public and the private sector, which made him best suited for the job. After retiring from the US foreign service, and UNESCO, he was asked by several AFICS/New York friends and former UN colleagues to join AFICS/New York and shortly after, he was appointed the Secretary by its then President, Freddie Freidgut. Then he was elected President where he met Aamir Ali, the FAFICS President during a FAFICS session in New York. When Aamir Ali stepped down, he was asked to be a candidate as his successor to the FAFICS Presidency, for which he was acclaimed without any competition or opposition. 

During his time as FAFICS President, he recalled several issues that were major concerns at that time. One issue, which persists today, was the case of the former Soviet UN staff members whose pension entitlements were very difficult to resolve. This was due to the Soviet Government's position that Soviet staff members who became UN staff members, would not receive a UN pension at the conclusion of their UN service and would instead receive a Soviet pension. Additionally, he recalls some challenges then in the relations with several South American AFICS associations that had been newly admitted to FAFICS. 

He remembered a personal circumstance that stood out when he was the President of FAFICS. He had had major surgery in New York, but he did not let that surgery interfere with his functions as the President of FAFICS. Despite the significant surgical procedure, he travelled to Geneva and was closely monitored by his doctor in New York, who coordinated with medical contacts there in case any issues arose. Fortunately, he recovered well and successfully conducted the scheduled FAFICS session.

His work as President also involved dealing with the UN Pension Board.  He had good relations with the UNJSPF CEO and Secretary, as well as the Secretariat of the Pension Fund, owing largely to his long association with some of the staff before he joined FAFICS. When he was Minister Counselor for Resource Management at the US Mission to the UN, he had the primary responsibility in New York for US participation in the Pension Fund and Board. 

Through a range of roles including his position as a former member of the UN ACABQ, George was able to influence the actions and decisions of the UN Pension Board, which he believes he did in the best interests of FAFICS members and all UN system retirees. In his capacity as Assistant Director-General for Administration at UNESCO, he was also responsible for the organization’s participation in the Pension Board and Fund. This experience gave him access to information about the governments, the heads of UN agencies and the retirees’ views and their positions on various UN pension issues. . As he reflected on his contribution, he remarked: “I believe that this experience and knowledge aided and benefited all UN system pensioners”. 

Overall, he found all aspects of his being President of FAFICS very rewarding. “Just being of service to the UN system retirees was the only reward I could imagine. I was very grateful to be able and competent enough to provide the “pro bono” services to FAFICS”. He added that he truly appreciated and enjoyed the contacts with other UN Retirees and Associations in addition to the opportunity to pay back for all the rewarding benefits he had received, being in the UN System Secretariat.

George had an amazing memory for details – mentioning names of people in the early days of FAFICS, with clarity and fond memories from at least two decades ago such as colleagues Freddie Freidgut who was earlier mentioned, and Patricia Tsien and Molly Bruce, all AFICS/New York officers. 

George Floyd Saddler was born in Memphis, Tennessee on 27 September 1925. As the proud son of a single Mother who was a schoolteacher, he believed that teaching is the most honest profession in the world.  He described his mother as a strong, very loving and determined woman, and remembered that in 1941, with only $200 sewn to his underwear, his mother decided to send him from Memphis to New York City with the prospect of his going to college, which seemed to have laid out his eventual career path with the UN. 

But George also understood the importance of starting from the bottom. Before he joined the US Army at the young age of 18 in 1943, he has had various odd jobs, the first one being as an office boy at a shoe company New York City.  In the US Army, he fondly recalls being deployed to the island of Leyte, in the Philippines, where then General Douglas Mc Arthur said the famous words, “I shall return” while serving as the US Army field marshal to the Philippine Army.

As a professional, George accumulated a wide and varied body of experience. Graduating with an Accounting Degree from NYU, he has worked as an Accountant, Budget and Finance Officer, Assistant to the UN Comptroller, and as an Adviser, and Consultant on such matters with the private sector, the US Government, and the United Nations. But three of the most significant positions he recalled were that of Supervisor of the Accounting Department of a large mid-Western Corporation, the position of Chief Accountant and Assistant to the City Controller for the city of Chicago, and his job as a senior US Foreign Service Officer. 

His experience working within the US Government and having been a Senior Officer at  the US Mission to the United Nations, he believes, landed him a job in the UN as Deputy Director of the UN Budget Office, and as Assistant to the UN Controller. He later held the positions of Director of Finance at UNDP, and eventually as, Assistant Director General for Administration of UNESCO at its headquarters in Paris, France. 

Having retired at age 60, he spent some four decades of his time serving in these various capacities and always leaving a fine legacy of competent service, management, and leadership. 

On a more personal note, he shared insights into his family life. He spoke of coming from a large middle-class family and enjoying a happy contented life in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. He describes his background as multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, and multi-religious in a neighborhood where all the children got along and played together harmoniously.  He recalled that his large family included a great grandmother, at least four grandparents, several aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters, plus many playmates. 

As a person, he describes himself as easy to deal with, he “likes what he likes and says what he likes”. He was quite athletic in his younger years, playing basketball, football, and baseball. He was also on a college football team, and active in several organisations that he worked with when he joined the army. He says he learned something important from playing football which he considered very important later when he moved into the working world. “You can have all the talent in the world, but you must have a team! You should always seek to have a team.” He proudly says his single mother raised him simply as a human being, recalling his childhood to be simple, pleasant, and being raised without regard to race or skin colour. As kids, “we just played together”. Later in life, he came to realize that his mother had, in some ways, treated him as an experiment in how to raise a child

“I met the girl I later married in high school. She was 13 and I was 14. We later married when I was 18 and she was 17.  I had registered for the World War II draft at 18 and was drafted shortly thereafter and sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, then to Fort Dix, New Jersey, and then to Camp Crowder, Missouri, all for specialized training in communications. I went overseas to the Pacific Theater of war and for a period, I was attached to General MacArthur’s staff at the lowly rank of cable splicer in the Philippines to maintain communications between Manila Hotel and his other location. After being discharged from the US Army, my wife and I moved to New York City where I attended New York University, graduating in June 1950 with my degree in Accounting” His marriage to Pauline blessed them with two daughters, Paula, and Paulette and one granddaughter, Rebecca. 

Still going strong in his twilight years, he seems to maintain a daily routine that defies ageing and any health challenges he may have. At 98 George still uses the computer, sends and receives emails – just uses all caps for readability.  In his later years, he lived comfortably in a senior residence, surrounded by photographs, cherished family mementoes, and the oil paintings of his late wife, Pauline.

Even in his late 90s, he led a full and vibrant life. His days, which began at 8.00 a.m. on his computer checking emails, were marked by staying connected with friends around the world, enjoying meals with family and neighbours, and participating in social activities, including lively gatherings and happy hours. In the evenings, he relaxed with movies or television, reflecting his love of storytelling and entertainment.

On the topic of socializing in his building, Mr. Saddler notes that he doesn’t interact with other residents every day, as their interests and life experiences are often different from his own. Drawing on his decades of international service, he reflected that UN retirees share a unique set of experiences and perspectives. It was in this context that he suggested, with good humor, that the UNJPF might consider creating a retirement facility designed for UN retirees, where they could connect and engage around common experiences.

 “The UNJPF should consider building a retirement facility for UN retirees.”

 When asked about his secret to healthy longevity, he said, “Although I have dealt with people since I was eight years old when I began selling pulp magazines to the neighbors where I lived, I am fortunate to have been able to avoid stressful situations in my long personal or working situations plus, I guess, I simple have good genes from my father and mother. I was always alert with a very good memory, as a student, I always scored high marks on tests because I could recall exactly what

and when the teacher said something or what I had read in a book. I have a glass of wine, red or white, with my dinner each night.” 

Reflecting on his extraordinary intellect, the former FAFICS President recalled a remarkable moment from 1944, when he was just 18 and drafted into the US Army. He scored so highly on the recruit test that the personnel gave it to him a second time to validate his results—and he scored even higher, remembering the answers from the first test! Classified as a genius, he was offered a place at the Officer Candidates School—but he declined, having no desire for a military career. I guess it was the UN’s good luck that he joined the secretariat and we were fortunate to have had him in FAFICS.

Looking back on his youth, George shared a perspective shaped by contentment and gratitude. “I’ve had a contented and pleasant younger life without any calamities or bad occurrences except the deaths of some close relatives that I missed very much. My mother taught me that while I was no better than any other individual, I was no worse than any other individual, that I was simply a human being who should respect all other individual human beings and groups as human beings, but of course, it is normal that one should like some individual human beings better than others”.

Offering guidance to those who serve FAFICS, he emphasised dedication and preparation. "Put the best interest and welfare of the UN System retirees before their individual concerns, desires, and interests. Don’t become involved in FAFICS because of the possibility of traveling to its meeting, which unfortunately is what some AFICS participants see as the main benefit of getting involved in FAFICS. In addition, do your homework and come to FAFICS sessions well prepared to have open and unbiased discussions of important issues facing the UN System retirees, be it health insurance, pensions, safety, or welfare”.

As a final message to UN retirees everywhere, George reflected on the privilege of service and the value of community “It is an honour and privilege to work or to have worked in the UN System, and we should all feel blessed to have the experience of being an International Civil Servant. In my opinion, if FAFICS did not exist, it would certainly have to be created because its importance is beyond question. Even colleges and schools have alumni associations to maintain and protect the honour and traditions of the college or school. Therefore, AFICS and by extension FAFICS are important to maintain the honour and traditions of the International Civil Service. FAFICS is extremely relevant to the UN System retirees. “

Written by Delia Barcelona, FAFICS Secretary, based on her interview with Mr. Georges F. Saddler on 6 November 2023 at his Five Star Residences apartment. 

(28 November 2023)

Here is an earlier article on George Saddler published in Secretariat News in October/November 2001.