David Louis Rhoads Sr., 66, of Trenton died Friday at Mercer Medical Center.
Born in Trenton, he was a resident of the area most of his life.
A graduate of Trenton Central High School, he was a 1963 graduate of Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.
After college, he was stationed in West Germany while serving in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1966 followed by graduation from Seton Hall Law School in 1971.
He served as law clerk to Superior Court Judges James Cawley and Leon W. Kapp, as an assistant prosecutor in the Essex County prosecutor’s office, as the chief trial attorney for the Mercer County prosecutor’s office under the Honorable Anne Thompson for four years and as the deputy director of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation.
After leaving the public sector he opened his own practice in 1981 specializing in criminal trial practice. During this period he was appointed deputy Mercer County counsel by then County Executive Bill Mathesius, served as counsel to the Mercer County Welfare Board, and was the municipal prosecutor in Washington, Hopewell and East Windsor townships and served as special counsel to the Department of Motor Vehicles for more than 20 years.
He was a current member of the Mercer County Park Commission.
Predeceased by his parents Samuel and Camilla Rhoads, brothers William, John, and Robert and sister Elizabeth, he is survived by his wife of 40 years, Suzanne Henderson Rhoads; his son David L. Rhoads Jr. and daughter-in-law Melissa Rhoads; son Daniel H. Rhoads; his granddaughter Molly Elaine and his grandson Ryan Daniel; his brother Richard Rhoads and sister-in-law Margaret Rhoads; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law James and Linda Henderson; special cousins Donald Henderson and Honor Scott; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. James Church, 115 E. Delaware Ave., Pennington.
Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hamilton.
Viewing hours are 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at the M. William Murphy Funeral Home, 935 Parkway Ave., Ewing, and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until time of mass at the church.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Sunshine Foundation, Mercer County Chapter, PO Box 55130 Trenton, 08638 or www.sunshinefoundation.org.
