David J. Messier grew up first in Rhode Island, then in Savannah, moving south during the blizzard of 1978. “We lived on the Southside which back then was all rural and marshy,” he says, adding that he had an “uneventful but somewhat guilt-ridden childhood.”

David attended SCAD, pursuing architecture, sculpture and art history, and received a degree from UGA in Athens. He worked in database management in the SCAD library, and then went on a separate track, working on the road for a band called Thrilling Muses – his favorite of all time. He moved into hospitality, joining the team at Guaranteed, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe's vegetarian and vegan café. David’s passion for cooking kicked in and at the restaurant he learned from classically trained chefs.

In the ensuing years he returned to Savannah to be with family and worked as domestic coordinator for a family estate, then as manager of a law office. He later became assistant General Manager for the Marshall House before returning to library work, doing acquisitions for the SCAD library. He developed his own catering and hospitality business, and as a keen and active member of UUSavannah, was thrilled when the church required a sexton and Rev. Joan saw that he would be a perfect fit. The church and the property have never looked better. As one member said at a recent meeting, “It really seems like somebody cares about the place now.” David really devotes his time and energy to all aspects of the church's smooth running.