Roger Christian Charles

Obituary for Roger Christian Charles

Roger Christian Charles, 65, born May 14, 1960, in Long Beach, California, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 22, 2026. He is survived by his beloved wife, Cynthia; their son, Christian; his sons, Jacob, Jon, Joss, and Jaydon; his bonus son, Mario; his niece, Summer; his brother, Paul; and his 2 granddaughters, Audrey and Violette. He was a devoted husband, father, and brother, a trusted leader, and a man whose life left an unmistakable mark on all who knew him.

A Life That Changed Lives

Roger was a brilliant Architectural Designer and Developer, widely respected for his vision, leadership, and ability to clarify even the most complex challenges. He was the one people turned to—the steady voice, the calm presence, the man with answers when others were unsure. In recent years, he led major developments for Bally's Corporation and Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc., helping shape projects that will define the future of New York, Chicago, Louisiana, and Las Vegas, including the former Tropicana Las Vegas site and the future home of the Oakland Athletics. Roger often played a pivotal role in getting casino projects and large-scale developments off the ground, and he was deeply proud of his designs and his ability to create master plans and bring exteriors and interiors to life. What the world sees, Roger always saw first. Those who worked with him know the truth: many of the projects he touched would not have been completed without his leadership, insight, and relentless commitment. Even in his final days, Roger remained fully engaged in his work—on Zoom calls, offering guidance, solving problems, and leading with clarity until the day he went home to Heaven.

A Man of Faith Who Carried Others

But Roger’s greatest work was not found in buildings—it was found in building people. He was the consummate teacher, always leading, guiding, and calling forth a vision for people of their own lives as God designed them. He touched thousands of lives around the world through his faith, his words, and his willingness to show up wherever God called him. Vacations often became ministry trips, as Roger would pause everything to pray with a hotel staff member, encourage a stranger, or lead someone to Christ in a moment that would change their life forever. His “airline ministry” became something of a legend. Cynthia often said that if you sat next to Roger at 30,000 feet and didn’t know Christ, you would by the time you landed—and if you did know Him, you would know Him more deeply. Roger, along with Cynthia and Christian, helped lead a powerful spiritual revival among students connected to the University of Kansas. Hundreds of young people came to faith or deepened their walk with Christ, many of whom are still spreading the Gospel Roger loved today and living their lives with greater purpose and fulfillment because of it. He faithfully taught at a weekly healing service at Calvary Chapel San Clemente, ministering to countless individuals and bringing hope, truth, and healing to those who came seeking. Whether he was teaching his Tuesday night service to 2 people or 222 people, it never mattered. He always joyfully saw each Tuesday as filled with God’s presence and love. Roger also bore a unique burden for pastors and leaders. He understood that even those called to lead are human—still in need of healing, prayer, and encouragement. Many trusted him with their private struggles and breakthroughs, knowing they would be met with wisdom, grace, and truth. He deeply believed that God could heal what was broken—and he lived that belief every day.

A Vision Given by God

Roger was wise, patient, and brilliantly gifted with God’s vision. He had a rare ability to discern what God was doing in any situation and the courage to follow it through. After coming to faith, Roger shared a testimony that moved everyone who heard it—about how God allowed him to glimpse Heaven. He would often become emotional when recounting it, because from that moment on he carried a deep longing to return. That glimpse shaped how he lived: fully, boldly, and with eternity always in view.

A Life of Love, Family, and Joy

Roger’s life flourished in every way after meeting Cynthia. Together, they built a life defined by faith, perseverance, and shared purpose. Their love was deep, steady, and transformative—a partnership that strengthened everything Roger touched, from his family to his business to his ministry. He was immensely proud of his son Christian—his achievements, character, knowledge of the Word, and impact on the world around him. He saw the leader Christian was destined to become and took great pride in watching him become a partner at his firm, launch his companies, and create a forum for Silicon Valley to gather on Capitol Hill to shape policy and ensure technological innovation for the future. Just months before Roger went to Heaven, Christian gifted him a Tesla Cybertruck, and Roger delighted in driving it, as he would proudly say, “My son gave me this.” He was most impacted by Christian’s generous heart in sharing his many brothers in basketball with him, who all saw “Rog” as their spiritual father and the person they went to with all their questions about life, scripture, faith, and Jesus. Mario entered Roger and Cynthia’s life during an important season, and Roger embraced him fully—as a spiritual son he would pour into. He took great joy in walking alongside Mario as Mario transitioned from college graduate to professional basketball player and to becoming a man of God and a future businessman. In his heart, he also carried Tarik, Maurice, and Lubbock as spiritual sons and future leaders whose impact on the world around them is deeply rooted in the faith, grace, and wisdom God implanted in them through Roger. Roger was equally proud of his oldest son, Jacob, for his desire to strike out on his own, as he once did, in the world of Architecture and Design. He would often say proudly, “Well, Jake was trained by me, so he knows his stuff.” He reveled in how much he and Jon had in common and often talked about a recent trip to Vegas to see a Raiders game. He loved their times together doing “man stuff.” He was so proud of the kind of Father Jon grew up to be, and he adored his time with his two beautiful granddaughters. He also loved the simpler times together with Joss and Jaydon, grabbing lunch, dinner, or especially coffee, and talking about life, movies, and music while sharing how much God loved them. Cynthia gave Roger a large family who loved and fully embraced him. He deeply loved Cynthia’s nieces and nephews and cherished the years of family vacations and the memories they shared as they watched them grow. Cynthia’s niece, Summer, held a special place in his heart. Their bond was that of a true father and daughter, and Roger helped raise her with deep love, wisdom, and intention. He was incredibly proud of the woman she was becoming and found great joy in watching her step into her faith and future. Roger had a way of seeing people—truly seeing them—and calling them to the fullness of who God created them to be. The hundreds of messages from young people everywhere are a testament to Roger’s ability to love, lift, and encourage a generation in a way very few can.

A Love That Endures

Roger was Cynthia’s greatest supporter and biggest fan. Their devotion and love for each other were rooted in partnership, deep trust, and an abiding belief in prayer about everything, everyone, and every decision they needed to make together. They shared a love of travel, architecture, and design. But mostly, they shared a love of – Jesus. Roger believed deeply in Cynthia’s calling as a leader and as a woman in ministry, recognizing that her background in television and her natural ability to connect with people and make God real were what the world needed. He championed her voice, encouraged her boldly, and stood beside her every step of the way. In his final days, Roger and Cynthia spent hours together in the hospital—gazing at each other, smiling gently, and counting their blessings. They knew what they had found in each other was rare, and he often told Cynthia she had saved him. Cynthia would reply, “No, honey, we saved each other.” They loved each other deeply, faithfully, and without reservation.

A Life Well Lived

In closing, Roger made the world better simply by being in it. He lifted people. He strengthened them. He showed them who they could become. And he pointed them, repeatedly, to Christ. He lived brightly—like a flame that could not be dimmed. And though his time here feels far too short, like a comet blazing across the sky, his impact will echo for generations. Today, Roger stands in the presence of the Savior he loved, longed for, and devoted his life to serving. And without question, he hears the words that define his life:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” — Matthew 25:23

Memorial Services

A Memorial Service celebrating Roger’s life will be held on May 30, 2026, at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California. A final Memorial & Burial will take place on June 7, 2026, at Southall Farms in Franklin, Tennessee. He will be buried at his beloved Haven Star Hollow in Franklin, TN, where Roger’s body will lie in a green pasture beside still waters (Psalm 27) while Cynthia & Christian finish building his family compound.