Ever since Walter Ashmore helped renovate the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house at Emory University, he knew he wanted to be a developer.
He was serving as the fraternity’s president at the time and took great pride in his work on the house, said his daughter, Sarah Margaret Matthews of Atlanta.
“He totally loved that project,” she said. “He was in charge of all the renovations and that was where it all started.”
Ashmore graduated from Emory with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1959, before setting out on what became a long career in real estate development. He joined forces with his brother, Jack, and the pair founded Ashmore Realty Co. in the late 1960s, primarily developing and managing properties in metro Atlanta and St. Simons Island.
They did extensive work in Atlanta apartments development, as well as with the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort in St. Simons, said his daughter, Arlene Vinci, of Roswell.
“They were the largest apartment developers in Atlanta at one point,” she said. “And [Walter] took a lot of pride in what they were accomplishing.”
Robert Walter Ashmore III, of Atlanta, died Tuesday from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at Halycon Hospice. He was 79.
A graveside service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs. A reception will immediately follow at H.M. Patterson and Son Arlington Chapel, which is in charge of the arrangements.
After the death of his brother, Ashmore made the move from Ashmore Realty to Cousins Properties Inc. in 1985. He retired in 1994, but his retirement was short-lived, for he soon joined the Cousins family business at Nonami Enterprises when developer Tom Cousins asked him to be par of his company.
“He was greatly gifted as a businessman,” Cousins said. “I knew him to be a man of integrity and I wanted him with the company.”
At Cousins Properties, Ashmore oversaw several operations, and was known by many for his dedication and trustworthiness, said John McColl, executive vice president of Cousins Properties.
“He was extremely disciplined and hardworking,” McColl said. “I think he was the most wonderful man to do business with and we’ll miss getting his perspective on things.”
Also working closely with the East Lake Housing Corporation, Ashmore played a key role in the revitalization of the East Lake Golf Club course and the East Lake YMCA.
Ashmore died before being able to complete his last project overseeing the design and planning of the Charles R. Drew Senior Academy. The project is currently underway and is set open later this year.
In addition to his daughters, Ashmore is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ann Ashmore, of Atlanta; another daughter, Rhonda Hammans, of Carrollton; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
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