David Herbert Trautenberg

David Herbert Trautenberg, 67, of Denver, Colorado and New Orleans, Louisiana passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, January 10, 2026 of natural causes.

David was born on July 23, 1958 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the son of Edward and Beatrice (Markowitz) Trautenberg.

David was a lifelong student. He graduated from Atlantic City High School in 1976, then went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Pennsylvania; a Masters of Arts in Curriculum Theory, Sociology, and Philosophy from University of Leeds; a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford University; and a Doctorate of Education in Educational and Organizational Leadership from University of Pennsylvania.

He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania, and he was a recipient of the prestigious Thouron Award, which supported his studies in Leeds. He was recently accepted into a Spanish Language program at the University of Colorado Boulder.

He has two children from his marriage with Nancy Fritts, Ezekiel and Nathan.

One of David’s first jobs was teaching language arts and math at the Oslo American School in Oslo, Norway under the auspices of the Department of Defense. David then began a long career on Wall Street, serving as Managing Director and Department Leader at Salomon Brothers and then Citigroup; a Director at Credit Suisse Private Bank; and a Managing Director at Oppenheimer & Co.

Later in life, he returned to his early work in education by completing a Doctorate in Education at Penn and pursuing work as a Chief Financial Officer and consultant to school districts in Colorado, Louisiana, and Nebraska. He prided himself on ensuring accountability and improving outcomes for students. He also worked as CFO for Orleans Parish Sheriff Office. Having a Sheriff’s badge was one of the great joys of his life.

David’s passions included the Philadelphia Eagles, Cadillacs, collecting turned wood pieces, rock concerts, and World War II films. He was also an avid skier and fly fisherman, two pursuits he shared with his children.

David had a magnetic personality and was a force of nature. He was full of zest for life and always spoke his mind. He could strike up conversations with anyone, anywhere, and had friends from all walks of life.

David is survived by his loving children Ezekiel and Nathan (Renee Rodgers) , his dear siblings Marcia (Matt) Schlossberg, Sherrie (Robert) Meyers, Andrea (Joel) Klein, and Stuart (Dora) Trautenberg, his nieces and nephews, Josh, Jennifer, Eli, Rachel, Julie, Daniel, Lauren, and his beloved bulldog Beignet.

Preceding David in passing were his parents, Edward and Beatrice.

The funeral will be held on Thursday, January 22 at 12 p.m. at Beth Kehillah Cemetery, 6687 Black Horse Pike Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. A reception to follow.

Memorial donations in David’s memory may be directed to Colorado Trout Unlimited: https://coloradotu.org/donate