David Lee Roesch

Born an only child in 1952 in Minneapolis, MN, to parents Cal and Millie Roesch, Dave moved to Denver, CO, in 1960. He is a graduate of Kennedy High School and earned undergraduate degrees from Metropolitan State and Regis University. Dave passed away at home on June 22 surrounded by his family following a valiant, 18-month battle against Stage 4 esophageal cancer.

Dave was happiest when he was competing in sports, especially tennis. Dave was a teaching tennis professional at Racquet World in Denver. He won numerous tennis tournaments across Denver and Colorado where he competed at levels as high as 5.5. On evenings and weekends, you could find Dave on the tennis courts at Washington Park playing pickup matches and gathering friends. When cancer sidelined Dave from his beloved tennis, he competed in pickleball where he gathered additional friends and mesmerized opponents with his left-handed spins. When Dave wasn’t competing, he loved watching sports, especially the NFL and Formula One racing.

A quiet intellectual, an avid reader and lifelong learner, Dave would tell you he could figure out most things, except, he would say with his trademark dry humor and sly grin, his wife. Evidence of this intellect was his passion for and success with chess. Dave learned the game in his teens and studied it, primarily through books, throughout his life. He competed in numerous tournaments and played matches at Washington Park and the Denver Chess Club. Most recently, he was proud to earn an ELO ranking of 1800.

Dave also loved sporty, fast cars. At different points in his life, he owned a 1966 Shelby GT 350, a Detamaso Pentera and his last prized possession, a 1995 Porsche 968, which he enjoyed racing.

Dave is survived by his wife of 29 years, Kay, his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Kendra Roesch, his daughter and son-in-law , Lisa and Ely Wolin, and grandchildren Kiley, Makenzie, and Lexi Lee. He is preceded in death by parents Calvin and Mildred Roesch.

In lieu of flowers you are welcome to donate to Sara Cannon Cancer Research Institute fund or Denver Hospice, both of which showed incredible compassion and care for Dave.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Roesch family.