Early Tuesday morning, SMU lost not only a long time supporter, but also a dear friend.

Robert H. Dedman Sr., died in his home after suffering from a long-term illness. He was 76. The official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Dedman was not only a prominent Dallas businessman, but a firm believer of giving back to his community. Every student at SMU has been touched by his gifts in some way whether it be through Dedman College, fulfilling his general education requirement or with the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, headed to Wellness during his first days on campus.

One of Dedman’s many goals was to make $50 million before he turned 50 and give it all away before he died. He has by far exceeded the goal of making his fortune and continued to give it away until the day he died.

He lived his life according to the Biblical reference he often quoted, “Of those to whom much is given, from them much is expected.” SMU was lucky to be on the receiving end.

Dedman, his wife, Nancy, and their children have cumulatively given more than $77 million to SMU, which has gone toward the Dedman School of Law, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Dedman Life Sciences Building, Dedman Professorships in Economics and History and Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports.

In addition to his philanthropy, Dedman gave generous service to the university. He became a member of SMU’s Board of Trustees in 1976 and served as chairman of the board from 1992 to 1996.

He served as one of five co-chairs of SMU’s capital campaign, which on April 19 announced surpassing its $400 million goal by raising more than $541 million in the five-year campaign.

Other leadership positions on the campus include: the President’s Leadership Council, Dedman College Executive Board, Meadows School of the Arts Executive Board, Law School Committee and Foundation for Business in the Edwin L. Cox School of Business.

Among his honors from SMU are the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980 and the 1976 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Cox School of Business. In 1995, Robert and Nancy Dedman were among the first recipients of the Mustang Award for longtime service and philanthropy to SMU. In 2000, he was honored by the School of Law with its annual Robert G. Storey Award for Distinguished Achievement.

Dedman also was a member of several committees and received several honors from his involvement in the Dallas and Texas community. He served two terms as a member and chairman of the Texas State Highway and Public Transportation Commission. His honors include: Texas Entrepreneur of the Year in 1976, Dallas Humanitarian of the Year in 1980, Texas Business Hall of Fame in 1987 and Horatio Alger Award in 1989.

Dedman’s success began early in life. In high school, he was a stellar student and athlete. Upon entering North Dallas High School, he made the varsity baseball team. With a batting average of .563, he won a college scholarship. His athletic abilities did not preclude his academic success as he graduated valedictorian of North Dallas High and received several merit scholarships.

In 1944, with the United States entering World War II, Dedman enlisted in the elite Naval Air Corps. Offers and aspirations of a professional sports career and college were pushed aside.

As the war neared its end, the Navy sent Dedman to study at the North Texas Agricultural College, now the University of Texas at Arlington. With straight A’s, he was allowed to take 20 and more hours per semester.

At a rigorous pace, he earned three degrees in four years. With a goal to be a lawyer, he earned his law degree from SMU’s School of Law in 1953. He continued to study law and earned his master’s while in active practice.

Clients kept him very busy. He worked more than 60 hours a week at his law practice and managed to balance family life, work and a new vision.

Moonlighting over a period of seven years, he developed a concept of country club structure and management that revolutionized the industry. Dedman bought 400 acres in Dallas to build Brookhaven Country Club in 1957. Since then, he developed ClubCorp International, Inc. which has over 210 clubs and is worth more than $1.6 billion.

As founder and chairman, he made Forbes’ list of America’s 400 wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $1.2 billion. ClubCorp now owns or operates more than 200 golf courses, country clubs, private business clubs and resorts worldwide.

Dedman’s philosophy was most evident in his 1999 book titled King of Clubs: Grow Rich in More than Money. His ultimate goal was to balance work, family and life. Work must be part of play and play is an integral part of work. Family is woven tightly into the fabric of endeavor.

He often said, “To give while you live provides you with the joy of seeing your gift in action, of seeing it change lives.”

Dedman is survived by his wife, Nancy, daughter, Patricia Dedman Dietz and her husband, Mark Dietz; son, Robert H. Dedman Jr., and his wife, Rachael Redecker Dedman; as well as five grandchildren, Jonathan, Jeffrey, and Christina Dietz and Catherine and Nancy Dedman.

A special memorial service organized for the campus community is scheduled to be held at 1 p.m. today at Perkins Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorials be sent in the form of written recollections of Robert Dedman. These memories will be compiled and distributed in his honor. The recollections can be mailed to 3030 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, TX, 75235.

Comments
“We have lost one of the most enthusiastic promoters of SMU, who was obviously generous with his resources which symbolized how devoted he was to this university. We also lost a great friend. He was one of the most faithful attendees of events on our campus. He loved being on campus and loved promoting the university,” President R. Gerald Turner said.

“Robert Dedman set a sterling example for us all, not only through his generousity but also through his genuine concern for others and through his unfailing zest for life. SMU is a much, much better university because of him and we will miss him greatly,” said Jasper Neel, dean of Dedman College.

“He was a great role model who deeply believed in education at SMU. He understood the educational endeavor and he loved SMU,” said Dedman School of Law Dean Tom Attanasio.

“SMU has lost one of the greatest friend s it ever had. They [the Dedmans] are one of the pillars of this university. He not only gave a tremendous amount of money to SMU, but he also gave a lot of his time and expertise ,” Attanasio said.

Gifts to SMU
– $30 million pledged in 1997 to SMU’s capital campaign, the largest single gift ever received by SMU. $12 million of this commitment went toward construction of the Dedman Life Sciences Building, which opened in Dec. 2001.
– An additional $2.5 million was designated to establish an endowed scholarship program for students from North Dallas High School, Dedman’s alma mater.
– $30 million was designated for the endowment of the SMU School of Law, from the Dedmans for the school’s endowment. The 75-year-old school was renamed the Dedman School of Law in 2001.
– $25 million pledge in 1981 to endow SMU’s college of humanities and sciences, later named Dedman College. A portion of this gift funded Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports, a multi-use sports complex for SMU students, faculty and staff.