Curtis Fenelon

Curt was born in Brunswick, GA and raised on St. Simons Island. He graduated from Glynn Academy and earned his BA from Emory University.

After college, he moved West where he developed a deep life-long attachment to the Rocky Mountains. In Colorado, Curt learned the restaurant business, and eventually owned and ran a restaurant, Water Works, in Evergreen, CO.

Following the sale of Water Works, Curt returned to Atlanta, GA where he began a long and successful career in the field of real estate. As CEO of his own company, Southeastern Development Associates, he developed numerous residential communities located throughout the southeast states. One of his favorites was a project converting an unused textile mill into loft condominiums. Known as The Lofts at Mills Mill, the condos included the huge windows, exposed brick walls, and open beam ceilings that graced the original building, creating truly dramatic living spaces.

Curt loved the marsh and the ocean. Growing up on St. Simons, he spent many happy hours exploring the tidal creeks of the Bloody Marsh in his orange jon boat, “The Bloody Mary”. As a teenager, he proudly honed his surfing skills in the Sea Island waves. Curt shared his passion for fishing with his nephew, Will. Their angling adventures took them from the marshes of Ponte Vedra to Alaska, Honduras and Costa Rica.

An avid international traveler, Curt took pride in visiting as many countries as he could (at least 93!). He delighted in exploring each new place, learning its history and architecture, enjoying the regional food and wine and experiencing the varied cultures as he interacted with the local residents.

In his later years, Curt designed and built his final Rocky Mountain residence on a hillside in Basalt, CO. Working on this project, he indulged his appreciation of architectural detail and design with 110-year old reclaimed pine floors and tongue and groove ceilings from the Carolinas. Some of the flooring in the home was salvaged from the Mills Mill Lofts project that Curt’s company had completed in Greenville, SC.

Always returning to the marsh, Curt retired in Ponte Vedra, FL. There he had a host of wonderful friends, with whom he shared golf, travel, toasts, and so many laughs. Curt held his family of friends close to his heart always.

Curt was preceded in death by his parents, Betty and Stan Fenelon. He is survived by his sisters, Christine and Carol, by his nephew Will (Aimee), and by his great niece Emilia, whom he had the joy of meeting just a month before he died. He is also survived by his ex-wife and dear friend, Betty Fenelon. According to Curt's wishes, family and friends will gather to celebrate his life at one of his favorite restaurants in Ponte Vedra. They will celebrate a special man who lived a full life and who was very much loved