Steven Esslinger: 1963 — 2012

Services for Steven Esslinger were scheduled for Thursday at Ocean Hills Church, 32222 Del Obispo in San Juan Capistrano, according to a spokeswoman at Laguna Terrace Park, which Esslinger owned.

The former Laguna Beach resident died from cancer March 23 at his home in San Juan Capistrano.

Esslinger was in the process of trying to subdivide Laguna Terrace Park into individual parcels so the residents could buy the land under their mobile homes.

While a resident in Laguna, Esslinger was active in local politics.

“He was very important to the conservative cause, to which he was devoted,” said Martha Lydick, president of the Laguna Beach Taxpayers Assn. “Steve was committed to the conversion of Treasure Island Mobile Home Park to a resort hotel that would bring in property tax revenue to the city.”

—Barbara Diamond