David Frank Roesler

He is survived by his wife, Celeste Patrice Crawford Roesler and daughter, Heidi Celeste Roesler of Raleigh. Additional survivors include cousins Bill Roesler (Joyce) and Kathi Roesler Peterson of Maryland; nephews Ed Bradley (Linda) of Maryland, Matthew Carter (Billie Jeanne) of Charlotte, and Travis Kesler (Karen) of Kernersville; nieces Patti Rivers (Tom) of Maryland and Sloan Walkup (Chris) of Wake Forest; brother-in-law Gordon Crawford (Lee) of Raleigh; and brother-in-law Jerry Carter (Karen) of Clemson, SC.

He was pre-deceased by his sister Gloria Roesler Brown and nephew Billy Bradley.

David was a graduate of Glen Burnie High School and Baltimore Junior College. His professional life started as a draftsman at Westinghouse in Linthicum, Maryland. He then went to work with The JW Rouse Company of Baltimore where he was actively involved in the design and development of the “new town” of Columbia, Maryland. His association with The Rouse Company brought him to the Raleigh firm of Design Workshop, Inc. where he served as an environmental planner. Significant land design projects that reflected his environmental sensitivity to property development include Owl Creek ski resort in Aspen, Colorado and numerous projects in Currituck County, NC, including the Whalehead Club, Pine Island and Currituck Beach along North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks near Corolla.

Ahead of his time, in 1975 he became the first planning director for the town of Garner, NC. He was recruited by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. to develop North Carolina’s first Balanced Growth Policy which led to a series of local government positions in planning with the towns of Chapel Hill, Selma and Creedmoor.

David’s love for his family was almost matched by his love for the Baltimore Orioles. He was a talented artist, photographer, woodworker and gardener. His holiday celebrations were legendary with champagne flowing and live music ringing out all over the Cameron Park neighborhood he so cherished for over 44 years. He was a great neighbor and a charming raconteur, always with a twinkle in his eye.

Funeral services will be held at Christ Church, 120 East Edenton St., Raleigh on Saturday, October 26 at 11 am with reception to follow. Interment will be held later that afternoon at New Bern Memorial Cemetery, New Bern, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Kiwanis Club of Raleigh ([email protected]).

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, is serving the Roesler family.