Dallas is mourning the loss of a woman who was implemental in making the city's arts district what it is today.
Margaret McDermott, a champion of the arts and education, philanthropist, and civic leader, died Thursday at the age of 106, the AT&T Performing Arts Center announced in a press release.
She's the namesake of the Margaret McDermott Performance Hall in the Winspear Opera House after her gift of $3 million back in 1998 helped launch the fundraising drive to build the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
“Margaret knew what a world-class performing arts center would mean to Dallas, and she put her resources behind that vision,” chair of the AT&T Performing Arts Center Board of Directors, Matrice Ellis-Kirk, said. “Her gift gave the fundraising campaign credibility and soon other donations followed. I just can’t overstate how critical Margaret’s support was to the Center’s success.”
The new bridge over Interstate 30, featuring double arches, is also named for McDermott.
“From symphony and performance halls to graceful bridges over the Trinity, Margaret left an indelible stamp on Dallas," trustee Caren Prothro said.
McDermott, born Margaret Milam, was the society editor for the Dallas Morning News during the Great Depression, covering 1930s charity events and debutante balls, the release said. She married her husband, Eugene, a co-founder of the company that later became Texas Instruments, and the pair "used their fortune to support the city’s arts institutions, setting the standard for philanthropy in Dallas."
Former President George W. Bush released a statement about McDermott's passing on Thursday, calling her a "magnificent lady."
"Mrs. McDermott had a brilliant mind and a special soul," the president said. "Her kindness and philanthropy will be felt throughout the ages in Dallas. Her loss will be felt by many, too, and Laura and I extend our sympathies to Mary, Grace, and Mrs. McDermott's many friends in our community."
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson said McDermott was a "great Texan and a great friend."
"Words cannot describe the impact she and the McDermott family have made on the City of Dallas," she said. "The dedication to serving others that she and her husband, Eugene, shared is unequaled and unique. I always admired her charm, charisma and wit, which shined as bright as ever during our most recent meeting just over two months ago. My heartfelt condolences are with her daughter, Mary McDermott Cook, the McDermott family and all the lives touched by the generosity of Margaret McDermott.”