Florida State University mourns the loss of Nancy McMillan Dedman, a civic leader and philanthropist whose generosity with her late husband Robert H. Dedman Sr. transformed FSU’s hospitality program and left an enduring legacy. Nancy Dedman died Oct. 8, 2025, at the age of 97.
For more than 50 years, the Dedman family has supported institutions of higher education and community organizations. Their philanthropic partnership with Florida State University began in the 1990s when alumnus Jim Riscigno, a ClubCorp executive, asked Robert H. Dedman to invest in a new home for the hospitality program. The Dedmans embraced the opportunity, contributing to the development of the University Center complex, including $1.5 million to help fund the University Center Club.
In 1999, The Robert and Nancy Dedman Foundation donated $7 million to FSU’s Department of Hospitality Administration, a gift matched by the State of Florida. The gift established the Dedman Endowment in Hospitality and helped finance a purpose-built facility at the south end of Doak Campbell Stadium. In recognition of this generosity, the university renamed the program the Dedman School of Hospitality in 2001, eventually becoming the Dedman College of Hospitality in 2020.
The scale of the Dedman gift was transformative.
“The Dedmans’ support created opportunities that changed lives,” said Don Farr, dean of the Dedman College of Hospitality. “The resources Nancy and Robert provided opened doors we couldn’t have imagined for our students and fundamentally expanded what’s possible for their education and careers.”
Beyond FSU, Nancy Dedman was known for her leadership and philanthropy. She married Robert H. Dedman Sr. in 1953 and helped him build ClubCorp, serving on the board of the company from 1957 to 2006. She also served on the boards of the family’s philanthropic foundations and supported arts organizations such as the Dallas Museum of Art, Texas Ballet Theater, and the AT&T Performing Arts Center, as well as health initiatives at UT Southwestern Medical Center and programs for children and families. Her commitment to community service earned numerous honors, including the Annette G. Strauss Humanitarian Award and the Margot Perot Service Award.
Nancy Dedman is survived by her son, Robert H. Dedman Jr., and daughter, Patricia Dedman Nail. A celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas.