Rhett DeCamp Hartzog is an American jewelry businessman best known as Andie MacDowell’s second husband. The former schoolmates married in November 2001 and divorced in 2004 after nearly three years.
Bottom line: Reliable sources document Hartzog’s jewelry career, school connection with MacDowell and marriage timeline. They do not verify his exact birthday, current age, net worth, divorce reason or present relationship.
That distinction matters because newer biography pages often fill the gaps with unsupported details. One commonly linked obituary also belongs to a different man with a similar name.
Rhett Hartzog at a Glance
| Fact | Best-supported answer |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rhett DeCamp Hartzog |
| Known for | Former husband of actor and model Andie MacDowell |
| Documented profession | Jewelry businessman and industry representative |
| School | Gaffney High School, class of 1977 |
| Reconnected with MacDowell | Reportedly in July 1999 |
| Wedding date | November 10, 2001 |
| Wedding location | Asheville, North Carolina |
| Divorce | Confirmed in October 2004 |
| Exact birthday | Not reliably verified |
| Current net worth | Not publicly known |
| Public profile today | Limited; he has largely remained outside entertainment media |
The strongest sources are contemporary news reports and professional records. They provide a smaller but more reliable picture than modern celebrity-spouse profiles.
Who Is Rhett Hartzog?
Rhett Hartzog is a businessman whose public recognition came mainly from his marriage to MacDowell. He did not build a public career as an actor, television personality or celebrity commentator.
Contemporary reports identify him as Rhett DeCamp Hartzog. They connect him with Gaffney, South Carolina, where he attended school with MacDowell.
An Associated Press wedding report published by the Houston Chronicle says MacDowell graduated from Gaffney High School in 1976. Hartzog graduated one year later, in 1977.
Their school connection became the central public story around the marriage. However, calling them teenage sweethearts goes beyond the best evidence. Reports say Hartzog had a private crush, while their romance began decades later.
What Did Rhett Hartzog Do for a Living?
Hartzog worked in the jewelry business. Multiple contemporary reports described him as an Atlanta jewelry businessman or jeweler.
The ABC News report on their engagement, based on Associated Press reporting, used that description in July 2001. A Reuters report on the wedding also identified him as a businessman from the couple’s South Carolina hometown.
Later professional and corporate records add support. They do not reveal how much he earned.
Jewelry-Industry Evidence
The Georgia Jewelers Association’s 2015 newsletter listed Rhett Hartzog as an independent representative among its associate directors.
That listing shows that his jewelry-industry involvement continued years after the divorce. It does not identify his clients, sales, income or current employer.
RC Merchants Filings
Georgia corporate filings also connect Rhett D. Hartzog with RC Merchants LLC. A 2018 annual registration identified him as organizer and registered agent.
A later 2021 annual registration named him as manager. These records establish business roles on specific dates.
They do not prove the company’s current status, products, revenue or value. The filings also display addresses, which this article omits because they do not help readers understand his public biography.
How Did Rhett Hartzog Know Andie MacDowell?
Hartzog knew MacDowell from their school years in Gaffney. Reports say their connection extended from grammar school through high school.
They went separate ways after graduation. An Associated Press report on their 2004 divorce says MacDowell’s sister reintroduced them in July 1999.
Hartzog later said that he had kept a secret crush on MacDowell during high school. The adult relationship developed after their reunion, and their engagement became public in July 2001.
This evidence supports the phrase “former classmates who reconnected.” It does not prove that they dated as teenagers.
When Did Rhett Hartzog and Andie MacDowell Marry?
Hartzog and MacDowell married on November 10, 2001, in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Associated Press described a private evening ceremony at Central United Methodist Church. A reception followed at Biltmore Forest Country Club, and more than 200 family members and friends attended.
The wedding attracted national coverage because MacDowell was known for films such as Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Hartzog appeared at public events with her during their marriage, but he did not pursue a comparable entertainment career.
Why Did Rhett Hartzog and Andie MacDowell Divorce?
No verified public explanation establishes why the marriage ended. MacDowell’s publicist confirmed the divorce in October 2004 but declined to provide details.
The marriage lasted just under three years. That timeline is documented, but the couple’s private reasons are not.
Articles sometimes blame career pressure, lifestyle differences or other personal issues. Those explanations lack on-record support from Hartzog, MacDowell or an authenticated court document. They should not be presented as facts.
The pair had no publicly reported children together. MacDowell’s three children were born during her earlier marriage to Paul Qualley.
How Old Is Rhett Hartzog?
Rhett Hartzog’s exact current age cannot be verified from strong public evidence. Many biography sites list April 21, 1958, but no primary record supports that exact date.
Contemporary reporting also conflicts. ABC’s AP report called Hartzog 43 in July 2001. The AP divorce report called him 45 in October 2004.
A person born on April 21, 1958 would have been 46 in October 2004. At least one age report or the later biography date must therefore be inaccurate.
The cautious conclusion is that Hartzog appears to have been born in the late 1950s. Publishing a precise birthday or 2026 age would create certainty the evidence does not provide.
Did Rhett Hartzog Die in 2017?
No reliable source says Rhett DeCamp Hartzog died in 2017. The obituary that appears in many search results belongs to another person.
That 2017 obituary identifies Rhett Clarendon Hartzog. It says he was born in September 1974 and died at age 42 in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
MacDowell’s former husband was already reported as 43 in 2001. His middle name is DeCamp, not Clarendon. The name, age and timeline show that these are different people.
This correction does not establish Hartzog’s current health or location. It establishes only that the commonly linked obituary is not his.
What Is Known About His Life After Divorce?
Public records show selected business activity, but Hartzog has largely stayed outside celebrity media since 2004.
The 2015 jewelry-association listing and Georgia company filings are the clearest post-divorce evidence. They show professional involvement without opening his private life to speculation.
No reliable source reviewed for this article confirms his current relationship, home, daily work or personal finances. Privacy is not a missing part of the story that publishers must fill with guesses.
Verified Facts Versus Online Claims
| Claim | Evidence result |
|---|---|
| Hartzog was an Atlanta jewelry businessman | Verified by contemporary AP reporting |
| He attended Gaffney High School | Verified by AP coverage |
| He married MacDowell in 2001 | Verified |
| They divorced in 2004 | Verified |
| He was born April 21, 1958 | Not reliably verified |
| He died in 2017 | False identity match |
| His net worth is several million dollars | Unsupported |
| A specific event caused the divorce | Unsupported |
| He currently runs a named business | Not established by current evidence |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rhett Hartzog?
Rhett DeCamp Hartzog is an American jewelry businessman best known as Andie MacDowell’s second husband. They were married from 2001 to 2004.
What does Rhett Hartzog do for a living?
Contemporary reports described him as an Atlanta jewelry businessman. Trade and corporate records later documented jewelry-industry and business roles through 2021.
When did Rhett Hartzog marry Andie MacDowell?
They married on November 10, 2001, in Asheville, North Carolina. They had known each other during their school years in Gaffney.
Why did Rhett Hartzog and Andie MacDowell divorce?
Their private reason was never reliably disclosed. MacDowell’s publicist confirmed the 2004 divorce but declined further comment.
How old is Rhett Hartzog?
His exact age is not reliably verified. Published ages from 2001 and 2004 conflict with the April 21, 1958 date repeated by biography sites.
Did Rhett Hartzog die?
No reliable report says Rhett DeCamp Hartzog died. A 2017 obituary concerns Rhett Clarendon Hartzog, a different man born in 1974.
What is Rhett Hartzog’s net worth?
His net worth is unknown. No reliable public asset-and-liability statement supports the figures repeated by celebrity biography websites.
Conclusion
Rhett Hartzog is a jewelry businessman whose public story centers on his 2001–2004 marriage to Andie MacDowell. Reliable reports also establish their Gaffney school connection and adult reunion.
His later industry and company records support a continued business background. However, his exact birthday, current age, wealth, divorce reason and present personal life remain private or unverified. The 2017 obituary belongs to a different Rhett Hartzog.
Sources and Corrections
This article prioritizes contemporaneous Associated Press and Reuters reporting, a jewelry trade publication and official Georgia company filings. Supplied competitor pages informed the claim audit but do not appear as citations.
No dedicated Wikipedia biography for Hartzog was found. Andie MacDowell’s Wikipedia page offers general context but is not the primary evidence here.
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