William Dana Juett

William Dana Juett passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2017, after a fifteen-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He will be remembered as a loyal friend, devoted husband, son, father, brother and grandfather. He was a man with a servant’s heart, generous spirit, fun-loving nature and inquisitive mind. As a mentor to so many, he became a steady rock in a crisis, and had the rare ability to make one feel as if they were the only person in the room.

Dana was born on June 4th, 1947 in Amarillo, TX to Jane Flesher Juett and the late William Earl Juett. He attended Amarillo High School, participated in football and baseball, was an Eagle Scout and graduated in the class of 1965. He attended Texas Tech University where he lettered in baseball, was a proud member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and graduated with a BS in Management in 1969. The close bonds and friendships that were formed with his fraternity brothers remained true for over fifty years.

Dana married Gwynne Underwood in 1970. Together they had 2 children, Will and Kate Juett.

After receiving a Masters of International Management from Thunderbird in Scottsdale, AZ, Dana went to work for Mostek and Intecom. In 1990, he moved his family to the small village of Manuden, England while he studied and later taught at City University in London. Dana returned to Texas and found his calling in the world of philanthropy. His love of international travel and foreign cultures took him to visit over 70 countries in his lifetime.

Dana fell in love and married his true kindred spirit, Kate Lupton Crosland in 2001. Together they shared 5 children and 14 grandchildren.

Dana’s spiritual home was St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church of Dallas, TX where he served on the Vestry and numerous other leadership roles. The list of groups that Dana took under his wings are endless. His leadership was an integral part of their success. He served as Executive Director for the Amistad Mission in Bolivia, where he made over 20 trips to help orphaned children and families in Cochabamba. His commitment to the Chiapas board enabled hundreds of women throughout Latin America to become entrepreneurs through microfinance. With a heart for those who simply needed opportunity, mission trips also took him to Honduras, Haiti, Columbia, Dominican Republic as well as the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

For the past five years, Dana was Executive Director of the Sapphire Foundation in Dallas. In this role, several organizations became close to his heart, including Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, Center for BrainHealth, Dallas Festival of Ideas and Dallas Social Venture Partners “bigBANG!”.

Dana was a man of adventure, tackling such things as hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and making the pilgrimage on the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. When he was not traveling the globe to help others, he could be found walking around White Rock Lake with their beloved dog, Mattie or simply loving on his children and grandchildren.

Dana is survived by his mother Jane Juett of Amarillo, TX, his loving wife, Kate Lupton Juett; his son William Flesher Juett and wife Angela, grandchildren Hannah and Jack of Alpine, TX; his daughter, Katherine Juett Autrey and her husband James, grandchildren Dalton, Maverick, Madden and Jacey of Terrell, TX; his stepchildren Ben Crosland and wife Sandy, their children Ellie, Cartter, Patten, and Beezie of Charlotte, NC; Andy Crosland and wife Adriane, their children Ford and Walker of Dallas, TX; and Ali Crosland Treaster and husband Justin, their children Parker and Maisy of Dallas, TX; his sister Melissa Kalka and husband Ray of Amarillo, TX; his brother Andy Juett and wife Donna of Flower Mound, TX; his former wife, Gwynne Underwood Juett of Fredericksburg, TX; his godchildren, Nancy Scripps, Margaret McCullough Long, Kate Webb, and brothers Freddie and Mario in Bolivia.

There will be a Memorial Service at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Ave. Dallas, TX, Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2 PM with a reception to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Dana’s memory to Amistad Mission, P.O. Box 23030, Nashville, TN 3720 or to St. Michael; All Angels Church Foundation for Mission and Outreach; 8011 Douglas Avenue, Dallas TX 75225; or the W. Dana Juett Family Catcher Position Scholarship Endowment in Baseball (checks made out to Texas Tech Foundation, PO Box 45025 Lubbock, TX 79409-5025 with “W. Dana Juett” in the memo line). A Memorial Service will also be on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 2:00 pm at the Polk Street United Methodist Church, 1401 Polk St., Amarillo, TX 79101. Online condolences may be made at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com.