Donald George Reuter

Spring Lake, NC - Donald “Don” Reuter, who served more than 20 years in leadership roles with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the state parks system, died in Raleigh Tuesday following a brief illness. He was 58. Reuter retired from North Carolina state government in 2019 after working for 13 years as the assistant director for North Carolina State Parks and Recreation. Prior to that, he led DENR’s Public Affairs Office for nearly nine years. “We lost a great one,” said Lewis Ledford, former director of North Carolina State Parks and Recreation. “Don was a wonderful communicator, a respected leader, and a man who took great pride in serving others and protecting North Carolina’s natural resources.” Even after his retirement from state government, Reuter stayed active and took a position as the Parks Administrator for the city of Sanford, a role he held until his death. Reuter also taught communications and public speaking to students seeking their master’s degrees in Public Administration at N.C. State University, where he also earned an MPA in 1994. Before working in state government, Reuter was a reporter for The Greenville Daily Reflector and the Associated Press. As head of DENR’s Public Affairs Office, Reuter served as its chief spokesman during DENR’s response to harmful algal blooms, overflowing hog lagoons, and Hurricane Floyd. He believed in public officials being forthright and accountable. And he always counseled his staff if you have bad news to report, it’s better to get it all out immediately rather than let it drip out slowly day after day. Reuter is best remembered as an articulate writer, excellent public speaker, lover of sports (he devoted an entire room of his home to the New York Yankees), and an advocate for his friends. Reuter often mentored his staff and it took him just minutes to draft a well-written letter for someone needing a professional reference. Reuter was most proud of his daughter, Anna, and her accomplishments, most notably her recent assignment as the assistant athletic trainer for Virginia Commonwealth University’s baseball team. In addition to his daughter, survivors include his father Don Sr., two siblings, Karen and Scott, and the sweet Doberman Pinschers he rescued Bella and Elle. A mass for family and close friends will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Francis of Assisi in Raleigh. A service of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh, NC