Descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner
Raymond Fenner III
[b 18 Aug. 1936 at Bridgeport, CT; d 18 May 2008 at Lee’s Summit, Jackson, MO] Raymond Edward (“Ed”) Fenner III m 1st Marilyn Lou DeVries [b 4 Apr. 1936 at Chicago, IL], daughter of Robert DeVries, on 22 Oct. 1955 in Denver, CO. They met while Ed was at the University of Denver pursuing a major in business and a minor in music. Ed also attended law school at Duke University and earned an MBA from Northeastern. Ed belonged to several clubs, including Los Caballeros Riding Club, LA Athletic Club, and the Malibu Yacht Club. He m 2nd Ann Marie Josephine Paris ca. 28 Dec. 1970 in East Orange, NJ; m 3rd Phyllis Jo Hendrick [b 9 May 1943] ca. 1983 at Springfield, MO; m 4th Carol Ann Creel [b 21 Nov. 1948] ca. 2000.
Some biographical information given by his brother, Richard:
Early on he worked for Litton Industries and quickly rose to be President of one their companies in Southern California. By the 1970s he owned a six-acre ocean view ranch in Malibu, which he gave up to become a dairy farmer in Springfield, Missouri. His timing couldn’t have been worse. President Reagan revoked the dairy subsidies and Ed was wiped out financially. After a stint back in the corporate world as a CFO, he bought the Brownfield House in Blue Springs, Missouri, which he turned into an Antique Store and then a Tea House. He had made another 180 degree turn from negotiating multi-million dollar loans to conducting Mad Hatter parties for youngsters.
As a life-long lover of Jazz and a fair musician himself he became more and more interested in the jazz scene in Kansas City. He dedicated the remaining years of his life to the promotion of jazz in KC. He could be found most evenings hopping from one venue to another listening to, writing about, and working tirelessly as an advocate and ambassador for jazz. This is his legacy.
Ed underwent quintuple bypass surgery and was barely out of ICU when he was back to the clubs and “Jazz Central,” where he spent 12 hours a day writing about and promoting local performers. Hundreds of people around the world received his weekly “Jazz Notes" newsletter, Weekly Jazz Calendar, and went to his kcjazz.com website.
As was his nature, Ed burned the candles at both ends and it finally caught up with him, and his heart came to rest leaving a huge void in the lives of his family and friends.
Children of Raymond and Marilyn:
Raymond Edward IV [b 19 June 1960 at Durham, NC] m Catherine Mayers on 8 Nov. 2008.
Kristen Lee [b 6 May 1964 at Lowell, Middlesex, MA] m 1st Jeffrey Burk [b 17 Oct. 1960 at Fort Riley, KS] on 6 Oct. 1984 in Aurora, CO, and had Heather Burk [b 14 May 1987 at Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath, England]. She m 2nd John Francis Damazio [b 26 Aug. 1959 at Upland, CA] on 26 Mar. 1994.