Longtime Peachtree City Recreation Department administrator and Atlanta property manager Marcy Curry Williams, of Fayetteville, passed away on Saturday, March 24.
Marcy was born Marisela Alegret in Puebla, Mexico on July 9, 1944. Her father, Juan was originally from Spain and was forced to leave during the Spanish Civil War.
Marcy’s parents divorced when she was a baby and several years later her father remarried and had her younger brother John. John’s mother was killed and several years later, Juan remarried an American named Tina and the family immigrated to New Jersey.
Marcy grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where she attended Battin High School and played the violin in the high school orchestra.
She later attended Seton Hall University and the City College of New York, majoring in Political Science. Marcy lived in New York City for several years, working as a personal shopper for Gimbels.
In 1967, Marcy moved to San Francisco and worked various jobs waiting for her marine fiance Ron Curry to return from Vietnam. She married Ronald Patrick Curry in 1968 and moved to Savannah. In 1969, she was living with her husband in Atlanta and gave birth to her first daughter, Brooke. The family moved to Columbia, South Carolina, while Ron worked for his family business building commercial real estate. The family moved back to Atlanta in 1970, and in 1972, Marcy had her second daughter, Heather.
In late 1972, the family moved to Peachtree City. Ron took a job with Garden Cities Corporation, a subsidiary of Phipps Land Company, working on the development of Peachtree City. Marcy began selling real estate for Trammell Real Estate in the early 70’s. In 1977, the family moved to Houston, where Ron was Vice President of land acquisitions and development for Tamasco Development Companies.
Marcy and Ron divorced in 1978, and Marcy began working for IBM in Houston. She moved back home to Elizabeth, N.J., with her daughters and took a job with an optical distributor in New York City until returning to Peachtree City in 1980. Marcy worked at IBM in Atlanta for several years, until she took a job as a coordinator with the Peachtree City Recreation Department, to be closer to her children. Marcy worked tirelessly to create new programs and increase recreation services. Eventually, Marcy was promoted to Director of Parks and Recreation for Peachtree City.
Marcy created programs for Japanese families, who moved to Peachtree city as Japanese companies began opening in the city. Marcy was featured in the Tokyo Times for her work with the Japanese families in Peachtree City. Marcy led rafting trips, road races, 4th of July activities and started many clubs in Peachtree City.
Marcy also joined the Peachtree City Rotary Club, the American Business Women’s Association, and she served on the board of the Georgia Lung Association. She was treasurer of the Atlanta Symphony Associates and on the McIntosh Trail Mental Health and Substance Abuse community service board.
In 1989, after a fire nearly destroyed the Peachtree City Amphitheater, Marcy convinced many of the Japanese corporations in Peachtree city to make large donations to rebuild the amphitheater. Marcy worked to have the Kedron Aquatics Center and Peachtree City Tennis Center built.
Marcy was granted an award to study Japanese industries in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for six weeks. She was the only woman to receive the award that year and the only non-corporate executive.
Marcy left the city and began working for the United Way for two years. She married Jim Williams, then Director of Development for Peachtree City and later City Manager of Fairburn and Chattahoochee Hills.
Marcy began managing the Grandview high rise building in Buckhead in the late 1990’s and started her own property management company, MCW Enterprises. Marcy managed several subdivisions, including the Grandview for many years.
In 2007, Marcy had a serious health crisis was diagnosed with heart failure, lost a leg and her sight. In spite of all her health issues, Marcy was on the board of the Fayette Head Start program for many years. She continued to help many people, who were less fortunate than she, and managed to travel to Hawaii, New York and Europe in spite of health.
Marcy remained a loving wife, good friend and caring parent even after she was no longer able to leave her home. Marcy endured many trials that few would be able to endure. She lost her fight Saturday, March 24, 2018, and left us to be with the Lord Jesus. We are all better for having had her in our lives and will miss her terribly.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, April 5 at 4 p.m. at the Chapel of Mowell Funeral Home in Peachtree City, located at 200 Robinson Road. The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service.
