David Edward Rau

David Edward Rau, 70, passed away on May 6, 2019 from a glioblastoma brain tumor. David was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but grew up in the rural Ohio towns of Welshfield and Chagrin Falls before moving to Arizona in 1968 to join his family who had already relocated to Scottsdale.

David started his own business, Sage Landscape Contractors, in the early ‘70s in Fountain Hills as the town itself was being established. As his business grew, he took on more challenging projects that varied from digging swimming pools to landscaping luxury estates and water treatment plants. His work ethic, knowledge and great ability to connect with people kept him successfully in business right up until his cancer diagnosis in November 2018.

A trip to the Arizona high country in 1975 sparked an interest in snowmobiling that soon became his passion and one of his favorite pastimes. David arranged numerous snowmobiling adventures with his friends to various places but Yellowstone was always his favorite. He was a regular concert goer, especially to the Rolling Stones, where he probably relived the days he played guitar in his own band.

David also enjoyed movies, tending to his vegetable garden and spending time with his pet, Buzz.

“Crazy Dave,” as he was lovingly called by his friends, had a heart of gold, often going out of his way to help others. He was always eager to start a conversation and had a way with words particularly when he used his own slang vocabulary and creative nicknames.

David is preceded in death by his father, Leonard Rau and survived by his mother, Jane Rau; brother, Kurt; sisters, Mary (Bill) Kuhel and Linda (Jim) Herl; and nieces, Jennifer (Mike) Suriano and Laurie Herl as well as many friends who he has known for decades.

A Celebration of Life will be held for David on Saturday, June 8. Please contact a family member or friend if you would like to attend. In lieu of donations, please consider a planting in David’s honor so that it may remind you of the memories you shared with him.