Don B. Chelemedos

Don B. Chelemedos passed away at the age of 59 in his home in Half Moon Bay. Don lost his brave battle with cancer, but not without leaving his mark on the hearts of family and many friends. He will be remembered as a man of determination, purpose, energy, belief, and love of life and people.

A native Californian, Don attended Albany Schools and graduated from Cal Berkeley. He loved the challenge of outdoors whether walking his dogs on the beach at Half Moon Bay, paddle boarding, harvesting crabs, white water rafting, boating, fishing, distance bike riding, climbing or traveling extensively.

But his passion and career were always golf. His career began at Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA and led him to roles as the General Manager of Eagle Country Club and Applewood Golf Course in Colorado. Always an entrepreneur, Don opened a driving range in Denver but then opted to take the position of General Manager at Stanford Golf Course. In 2011 he became the General Manager of Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco and was later promoted to Managing Director. Working with the Presidio Trust, Don led the effort to restore this historic golf course.

In 2016 Presidio Golf Course was named the Course of the Year for the

State of California by the Golf Course Owners Association (GCOA). Don was also recognized with the inaugural CGCOA Employee Excellence Award. The award was created to recognize an individual who has reflected positively on the golf course operation and the game of golf through the demonstration of exceptional customer service skills, leadership and teamwork.

Two years later Don was recognized as Touchstone Golf’s General Manager of the Year. Recently Don achieved the status of a lifetime member of the PGA.

Don is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Vawter (Adam), grandchildren, Dean (13), Dylan (11), and Presley (6), mother Karen BeSaw, father Don C. Chelemedos (Jacquie), sister Lori Chelemedos, stepsiblings Julie Baer (Joseph) and John Gobel (Leigh Ann) and their families, and his fiancée, Tammy Wilson.