Featured Members

Curtis and Amelia James

A Retired Marine Corps. Colonel and his talented wife, a nationally recognized portrait artist, are the first to move-in at the new Golfview Villas.

After 62 years of marriage and a remarkable history of defending our country and philanthropic efforts in the arts, Retired Marine Corps. Col.
Curtis James and his wife Amelia will be the first couple to move
into the beautiful Golfview Villas.

“As an artist, I’m very visual,” says Mrs. James, “and from the moment I saw the impressive collection of art on the walls at Park Springs, it was
very clear that a serious effort had been made to create this wonderful environment. Then I saw our home and how the sunroom could be made into my
art studio. That was a big part of our decision.”

Mrs. James grew up in Decatur, GA, as did several generations of her family. “I remember hayrides at Stone Mountain,” she says. “I even
have a photo of my grandparents in 1900 having a picnic with two other couples, all dressed up, right there at Stone Mountain. Being close to home
certainly feels comfortable.”

The couple met when Col. James, who grew up in Kentucky, came to Emory
University during World War II and later served in, Korea and Vietnam. He went to work for the Dekalb County government after his service, and ultimately became Senior Vice President of Fidelity Bank from which he
retired ten years ago. Amelia taught at The Callanwalde Fine Arts Center for twenty years.

For many years, the couple lived in Druid Hills, an Atlanta suburb, with a second home in Highlands, North Carolina. Eventually, they would make
Highlands their primary residence, all the while staying active on many boards including their Homeowners Association, serving the Bascom-Louise
Gallery Fine Art Center and hosting the center’s 2006 Garden Tour, and volunteering with the Bel Canto Opera Series to raise money for the arts.

While they loved everything they were doing, this active couple realized they were ready to relocate to a place where they had fewer home maintenance concerns and more time to enjoy themselves. After comparing
older adult communities in Highlands and Atlanta, and discovering Park Springs, the choice became very obvious.

“Ironically, the same week we decided to move into Park Springs, so did my brother andhis wife,” recalls Amelia. Having family around is very important to them. Curtis and Amelia have three children and three
grandchildren, and look forward to entertaining in their new Golfview Villa home.

“We truly couldn’t believe we could luck into something like this, the trees, the mountain, the friendly people,” added Mrs. James. “Although I will miss the seven ranges of mountains I looked out on in Highlands, I gladly traded all that for one big mountain here-and a future filled with maintenance-free living, enjoyable pursuits, and peace of mind for all the years to come.”

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