Andrew "Drew" Douglas Rothhaar

Andrew “Drew” Douglas Rothhaar, son of Douglas and Deanna (Jackson) Rothhaar gained his healing after a six year battle with colon cancer as he went to heaven on February 21, 2023, surrounded by his loving parents.  Drew was born on Feb 16, 1990, in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Drew is survived by his sister Daurie (Jordan) Bogart, brother Daniel (Emily) Rothhaar, grandfather Dwight Rothhaar, Aunts Valerie Jackson, Sharon (Mark) Cole, Carol (Rodney) Compton, Jeanne (Mike) Zimmerman, and 15 cousins and their families, and his faithful puppy Dominic.

He is preceded in death by Grandfather Charles Jackson, Grandmother Sally Allen, and Grandmother Johanna Rothhaar.

When he was four months old, his family moved to Mansfield Ohio where he grew up making many friends, special relations, and memories throughout the community.  Drew attended Mansfield Christian School, was homeschooled, and a 2008 graduate of Mansfield Sr High School.

In 2012 he graduated from Ashland University with a BA in Theater.

In 2013 Drew followed his dream to work for Walt Disney World in Florida where he made magic at the Be Our Guest restaurant, Caribbean Beach Hotel, and Art of Animation.  He then transitioned into a role at The Escape Game in Orlando and held various roles until his last position as Assistant Manager and opening up their new location in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Drew was a lover of all forms of theater and performed in more than 40 shows by the time he was 23.  Some of his favorite roles included:

• Winthrop in The Music Man at age 7 and again at The Renaissance Theater at age 9
• Rufus in All the Way Home at age 9 at The Ohio State University (Mansfield)
• Tiny Tim with his family as the Cratchits in A Christmas Carol at The Mansfield Playhouse
• John Darling, Peter Pan, at The Bucyrus Little Theater
• Scarecrow, The Wizard of Oz, at Mansfield Senior High School
• Horton, Seusical, Jr with the Mansfield Youth Theater
• Linus, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, at The Mansfield Playhouse
• John The Baptist\Judas, God Spell, with Mansfield Youth Theater
• The Man, Whistle Down the Wind, at Ashland University
• He enjoyed summer theater opportunities at Blue Ridge Dinner Theater at Ferrum College, Virgina, and Tecumseh! in Ohio
• He was also extremely gifted in performing Shakespeare including roles such as Oberon, Angelo, and Lysander

If you knew Drew, you knew he loved Peter Pan.  He first ‘heard’ the show when his parents attended a Cathy Rigby performance at the Hirschfield Theater in Miami when they were expecting him.  His Grandma Rothhaar gave him a video of Mary Martin’s Peter Pan when he turned three and that started a life-long enjoyment, study, and collection of all things Peter Pan. His collection included antique books and versions in many languages, special collectibles, and all types of meaningful gifts and memorabilia.

In 2020, he and a childhood friend Cassie (Guion) Greenlee began a pod cast, Of Slippers and Spindles, in which they analyzed various fairy tale retellings in all forms and compared them with their original sources.  They released their final 107th podcast in early February 2023.

His absolute favorite musical was Into the Woods, and he was so excited to get to attend the 2022 revival in New York City this past summer and we saw it twice! 

Drew was incredibly intelligent and artistic.  He had a gift for color, story lines, and interpretation.  He left us with too much art, writings, lists of favorite things, creative works, etc. to list here but we are developing a memorial website that will be our journey of sharing those things with the world.

We will never be able to thank Siteman Cancer Center, Parkview Tower 12th Floor, BJC Hospice, and Evelyn’s House enough for all the care, kindness, and support they’ve given Drew over the past two years.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Siteman Cancer Center (in St. Louis, MO), The Mansfield Playhouse (Mansfield, OH), The Renaissance Theater (Mansfield, Ohio), or Mansfield Youth Theater (Mansfield, Ohio).

In addition to the services and interment noted below, a memorial service will be held in Mansfield Ohio.

The Drew Rothhaar memorial gathering in Mansfield Ohio will be held at Theatre 166 (part of the Renaissance Theater, entrance to the parking lot is off 3rd Street), at 166 Park Avenue West, Mansfield Ohio 44902 on Saturday, March 11. Doors will open at 1:00 PM. We will have a brief time of remembrance at 1:30 PM, followed by an open time of visiting until 5:00.

“Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.”  - James M Barrie