Donald W. "Pete" Rolader, long time Berkeley Lake resident passed away June 1, 2011 at the age of 86. Pete was a fourth generation Atlanta native born on Moores Mill Road. He was a Buckhead Boy, North Fulton High School graduate, WWII veteran having served in Europe in the 9^th Army Air Force, Emory Law school graduate, attorney, counselor, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, devout Methodist and friend to all he met and lover of life. He was the former chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sardis United Methodist Church, founding member of the Board of Trustees of St. John United Methodist Church, founding Secretary of the Sandy Springs Rotary Club and former member of the Atlanta Bar association and the Old Warhorse Lawyers' Club. What a legacy he left in his family and service to his Country. But to Berkeley Lake residents over the years, he was much more – he was BLHA. Here's the other part of Pete's legacy.

Pete was the primary architect and attorney who was responsible for incorporating the BLHA. In 1973, three separate individuals – all developers – each owned 1/3 of the lake bottom. The Berkeley Lake Civic Association, representing less than half of the property owners, itself, maintained the lake, voluntarily. The dam was heavily forested and owned by a developer. Pete negotiated a deal which allowed BLHA to take ownership of the lake. The process of BLHA owning all of the lake took until 1990. He also negotiated the City's ownership of the dam in 1974, and saw to it that the Beach was gifted to the BLHA.

He served as a City Councilman and was instrumental in having the City Charter amended by the Georgia Legislature to require that the people elect the Mayor, instead of by members of City Council. He wrote our Articles of Incorporation, which are the guiding principles behind our By-Laws, and served as Judge of the Municipal Court of Berkeley Lake.

Pete stayed vitally active over the years in BLHA and served as the primary legal counsel on all the issues surrounding lake ownership, many successful lawsuits against developers who silted our lake, By-Law and Deed Covenant questions, and the many issues facing the BLHA. All in all over the last 40 years, Pete provided thousands of hours of free legal counsel to BLHA.

In May 2008, BLHA dedicated "Pete's Point" located in the picnic grounds behind the Chapel as a token of appreciation for his stewardship of the lake. Many will miss his wisdom, knowledge and love of Berkeley Lake, overall passion for life. We thought it fitting to end with a section from Pete's speech to the membership at the Fall BBQ on September 16, 2006:

I moved from Buckhead to Berkeley Lake almost 40 years ago. I stood on the deck of "Frog Hollow" with my arm around my wife Ginny, and looking down the lake I said: "Honey, it's from here to eternity if they don't foreclose the mortgage!"

The mortgage is paid, Ginny went on to Eternity eighteen years ago and by the grace of God, although my eyesight is failing, my hearing is gone and I have difficulty walking, I am still here basking in the sunshine of God's love, with peace in my valley and all is well with my soul.

I love this place and you people. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to serve you. It is my hope and prayer that the leadership of the City and BLHA will continue to foster the good will of all our citizens and that the City of Berkeley Lake will continue to be the best place on the face of the earth to live. Be kind to each other and let love abound."