Dallas, October 25, 2025
News Summary
Nancy McMillan Dedman, a well-respected philanthropist in Dallas and a longstanding board member of the Dallas Museum of Art, has passed away. Her contributions to education, the arts, and various charitable organizations throughout her life have significantly impacted the Dallas community and beyond. A Celebration of Life service is set to be held, with her family encouraging memorial contributions to local charities in her honor.
Dallas — Nancy McMillan Dedman, a prominent Dallas philanthropist and board member of the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), died on October 8, 2025, at the age of 97. Her death ends a decades-long record of giving, board service and cultural support in Dallas, at Southern Methodist University and through foundations she and her husband established.
What happened
Nancy McMillan Dedman died on October 8, 2025. The family has announced a Celebration of Life service planned for October 16, 2025, at Highland Park United Methodist Church, with a reception at the SMU Meadows Museum afterward. The family encourages memorial contributions to the Crystal Charity Ball in Dallas, UT Southwestern O’Donnell Brain Institute, or the SMU North Dallas High School Scholars program.
Immediate context and roles
Nancy graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas in 1950. She married Robert H. Dedman Sr. in 1953. The couple founded ClubCorp in 1957, a leading global operator of over 200 golf country clubs and various other clubs, and Mrs. Dedman served on the ClubCorp board from 1957 until 2006. She was a board member of the Dedman Foundation, a nonprofit animal rescue charity, since 1996 and helped establish the Robert & Nancy Dedman Foundation, supporting Texas public charities and U.S. schools, in 1996.
Arts, education and civic involvement
Mrs. Dedman’s philanthropy included significant gifts to education and the arts. She contributed to endowing SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences in 1981 and the Dedman School of Law in 2001. She served as a board member for Shelter Ministries of Dallas and The Salvation Army. Her support extended to cultural organizations, including the Texas Ballet Theater, the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and the Edith O’Donnell Institute for Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Involvement with the Dallas Museum of Art
The Dallas Museum of Art acknowledged Mrs. Dedman for her five decades of involvement and leadership, including chairing and co-chairing major fundraising events. She served on several DMA committees, including the Decorative Arts and Design Committee and the Committee on Collections, and she held a position on the DMA Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2022. DMA leadership described her as a significant force for good in the community and noted her long record of service.
Recognitions and other details
Mrs. Dedman was recognized by Paper City magazine in 2017 as a “Bomb Girl.” She maintained public and private philanthropic roles for decades and remained active on charitable boards and events into the 21st century.
Personal background and survivors
She was born on February 13, 1928, in Bristow, Oklahoma. She is survived by her son Robert H. Dedman Jr. and daughter Patricia “Patty” Dedman Nail, as well as five grandchildren. Her long marriage to Robert H. Dedman Sr. and her partnership in philanthropic work and business activity defined much of her public profile.
Timeline of key dates
- February 13, 1928 — Born in Bristow, Oklahoma
- 1950 — Graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas
- 1953 — Married Robert H. Dedman Sr.
- 1957 — Founded ClubCorp
- 1957–2006 — Served on the ClubCorp board
- 1981 — Contributed to endowing SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences
- 1996 — Established the Robert & Nancy Dedman Foundation, supporting Texas public charities and U.S. schools; and became a board member of the Dedman Foundation, a nonprofit animal rescue charity
- 2001 — Contributed to endowing the Dedman School of Law
- 2016–2022 — Held a position on the DMA Board of Trustees
- October 8, 2025 — Died at the age of 97
- October 16, 2025 — Celebration of Life service planned
Why it matters
Nancy McMillan Dedman’s financial support, long-term board service and event leadership affected higher education, cultural institutions and social services in Dallas and across Texas, while the Robert & Nancy Dedman Foundation’s charter extends support to Texas public charities and U.S. schools. Her work linked private philanthropy with institutional fundraising and civic boards, shaping programs at SMU, the Dallas Museum of Art and multiple nonprofit organizations.
FAQ
Who died?
Nancy McMillan Dedman, a prominent Dallas philanthropist and board member of the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), died on October 8, 2025, at the age of 97.
When did Nancy McMillan Dedman die?
She died on October 8, 2025.
When and where was she born?
She was born on February 13, 1928, in Bristow, Oklahoma.
What is her educational background?
Nancy graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas in 1950.
Who did she marry and when?
She married Robert H. Dedman Sr. in 1953.
What business did the couple found?
The couple founded ClubCorp in 1957, a leading global operator of over 200 golf country clubs and various other clubs.
How long did she serve on the ClubCorp board?
Mrs. Dedman served on the ClubCorp board from 1957 until 2006.
What foundations and charitable organizations was she involved with?
She was a board member of the Dedman Foundation, a nonprofit animal rescue charity, since 1996. She established the Robert & Nancy Dedman Foundation, supporting Texas public charities and U.S. schools, in 1996. She also served as a board member for Shelter Ministries of Dallas and The Salvation Army.
What contributions did she make to SMU?
She contributed to endowing SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences in 1981 and the Dedman School of Law in 2001.
What was her relationship with the Dallas Museum of Art?
Acknowledged by the DMA for her five decades of involvement and leadership, including chairing and co-chairing major fundraising events, she served on several DMA committees, including the Decorative Arts and Design Committee and the Committee on Collections, and she held a position on the DMA Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2022.
How did DMA leadership describe her?
DMA Interim Director Tamara Wootton Forsyth described her as a significant force for good in the community.
Are there memorial contribution requests?
The family encourages memorial contributions to the Crystal Charity Ball in Dallas, UT Southwestern O’Donnell Brain Institute, or the SMU North Dallas High School Scholars program.
Who survives Nancy McMillan Dedman?
She is survived by her son Robert H. Dedman Jr. and daughter Patricia “Patty” Dedman Nail, as well as five grandchildren.
When and where is the Celebration of Life?
A Celebration of Life service is planned for October 16, 2025, at Highland Park United Methodist Church, with a reception at the SMU Meadows Museum afterward.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nancy McMillan Dedman |
| Birth | February 13, 1928, in Bristow, Oklahoma |
| Education | Nancy graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas in 1950 |
| Marriage | She married Robert H. Dedman Sr. in 1953 |
| Business founded | The couple founded ClubCorp in 1957, a leading global operator of over 200 golf country clubs and various other clubs |
| ClubCorp board service | Mrs. Dedman served on the ClubCorp board from 1957 until 2006 |
| Foundations | Established the Robert & Nancy Dedman Foundation, supporting Texas public charities and U.S. schools, in 1996; board member of the Dedman Foundation, a nonprofit animal rescue charity, since 1996 |
| SMU endowments | Contributed to endowing SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences in 1981 and the Dedman School of Law in 2001 |
| DMA service | Held a position on the DMA Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2022; involved for five decades |
| Death | October 8, 2025 (age 97) |
| Celebration of Life | October 16, 2025, at Highland Park United Methodist Church; reception at the SMU Meadows Museum |
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Additional Resources
- Glasstire: Nancy McMillan Dedman (1928-2025)
- People Newspapers: SMU Announces the Passing of Nancy Dedman
- Dallas News: Dallas Civic and Philanthropic Icon Nancy Dedman Has Died at 97
- PaperCity: Remembering Nancy Dedman, the ‘Bomb Girl’
- Dallas Morning News: Nancy Dedman Obituary
- Wikipedia: Nancy Dedman
- Google Search: Nancy Dedman
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Nancy Dedman
- Google News: Nancy Dedman
- Google Scholar: Nancy Dedman
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