Former Parker Mayor David Casiano died Jan. 31. He was 73.

Casiano served as a Town Council member first, then as mayor, from 2002-12. During his tenure, the Douglas County town almost doubled in population. It grew from 23,558 residents in 2000, according to U.S. Census data, to 45,297 in 2010. It now has 58,512 residents, according to 2020 census data.

It also opened the $21 million Parker Arts, Culture & Events (PACE) Center in 2011, and a new 5,300-square-foot police station.

Douglas County students walk out of class in support of ousted superintendent

“This little bedroom community became a true community, and the secret got out,” said Greg Lopez, former Parker Mayor and current Republican gubernatorial candidate. “David really provided that steady hand to manage the growth. … He was so good at collaborating and bringing groups and organizations together to have good dialogue about the future of the community.

“He was a visionary. He never looked at an issue whether it would be good for the next year or two. It was always, how will this impact the town 15-20 years from now?”

The former mayor was very interested in arts and culture, as a former drama teacher and actor, Lopez said.

“He was always helping students and kids,” Lopez said.

Casiano and Lopez were close friends. He helped Lopez with his campaign in 2018, and again this last year. Casiano and his wife Susan were godparents to Lopez’s daughter.

“David was one of those rare individuals that, when you met him or got close to him, he just had this aura about him that was approachable and friendly,” said Lopez. “He never judged people and was always willing to listen and understand. Plus he had quick wit and could always make you laugh.”

Douglas County's Wildlife Experience building to transform once again

According to the Town of Parker’s website: “Mayor Casiano supported local churches, schools and outreach programs. He was instrumental in the building of many local businesses, infrastructure and Parks and Recreation. A few of his accomplishments include land acquisition and building of Parker Field House, Rail Bender Skate Park, O’Brien Park North (also known as Carnival Hill) ), Police Department, the PACE Center, relocating the Library resulting in a much larger footprint, leasing of the Old Town Hall to Parker Task Force, Blocking the sale/growth of marijuana in Town.”

“Mayor Casiano will be remembered as the ‘People’s Mayor’ who accomplished amazing things in office and always made it a priority to care for the people of Parker. He will be missed and his legacy will live on,” said Mayor Jeff Toborg in a statement.

Always a dapper dresser, Casiano was also well known for adding a lighted Jewish menorah to the annual holiday decorations Town officials put up at O’Brien Park downtown. Though he was Catholic, and later Mormon, his wife is Jewish.

The Intermountain Jewish News did a profile on Casiano in 2012, talking about his friendship with Rabbi Avraham Mintz, founder and director of the Chabad Jewish Center in Lone Tree.

Casiano was born in Manhattan and came to Parker in the mid 1980s.

“He was quite the bridge maker,” said Joshua Rivero, current Town Council member and owner of Fika Coffee on Mainstreet in Parker. “That he was friends with a rabbi was a statement in itself. It didn’t matter to him, it was about community. What I learned from him, that as strong as he was in politics, when you represent a town none of that matters. It’s all about Parker. You are truly a representative of the whole town.”

Casiano introduced himself to Rivero after he bought and opened Fika in 2008. He later encouraged Rivero to run for Town Council because he was a downtown business owner, though Rivero said he never intended to get involved in politics.

“I learned the ‘walk-and-talk’ from David. Just walk down Mainstreet and talk to residents, knock on doors, sit and have coffee with people,” Rivero said. “He would take a table at Fika and just talk to anyone who wanted to. He would sit and the library with a ‘The Mayor Is In’ sign. I learned a lot from him.”

He never hid his conservative beliefs and opinions later in life, though. He was quoted in the Denver Post criticizing Gov. Jared Polis in 2021 for pandemic mandates, and urged voters in the 2020 election to press Town Council candidates on their political affiliations, criticizing Democrats, despite the seats being non-political.

He was running for a Town Council seat that year, but dropped out in August.

Parker growing up fast with new retailers, downtown development plans

“David was one of the first people I met when I moved to Parker over two decades ago. His kindness, joy, passion and love for our community was inspirational to me and so many others. Our community is a better place because of the dedication David put forth towards Parker for so many years. He will be missed for sure, however his legacy will live on in the happy lives we all enjoy in his Town,” said Mike Waid, Parker mayor 2012-20, in a statement.

“David did a lot of firsts,” Lopez said. “He did the first Christmas Tree lighting in O’Brien. He did the first State of the Town address. He was the first to allow a Jewish menorah decoration downtown. He was very receptive of everyone regardless of religion or politics.”

“Mayor Casiano reminds me of a time when we would debate to learn, not debate to win,” Rivero said. “He made me realize this isn’t a political job, it’s a community job.”

A private memorial service was held in Parker Feb. 3.