LUBBOCK, Texas — The family of Joyland founder Katherine “Katie” Webb Dean is remembering her legacy and the impact she left behind on the Lubbock community after 100 years of life.
David Dean, her son, said Katie was a good mother to him.
“She wanted people to live their dreams and believe in themselves,” Dean said. “That was very important for her and everyone she came into contact with.”
Dean said his parents moved to Lubbock to follow their dreams of opening an amusement park at the age of 55.
“They looked, and dreamed, and thought, and planned and then in ’73 this place came up for sale,” Dean said. “There were about 13 rides and actually just sheep to keep the grass down so there wasn’t much at all.”
Leaving her job with the highway department, Dean said Katie moved the family down to Lubbock from Amarillo. He said he was 17 at the time, and did not want to leave.
“I just thought ‘oh my goodness what have we done here? This place is run down, there’s not anything to it,'” Dean recalled.
Dean said there were plenty of hard days, but his parents never gave up. He said Katie pushed him forward.
“She said, ‘can’t never could,’ so she really pushed me never to give up,” Dean said.
He said his mother was very devoted to Joyland, and played a large role in operations. He said as she got older, Katie would still try to come to the park three to four times a week. He said she loved the amusement park so much, she even spent her 100th birthday there.
“That was just the highlight of her life… it was just a wonderful day and I know it meant so much to her,” Dean said.
Dean said his business has heart and soul, and his parents are part of the reason.
“There’s not any doubt that she’ll live on around here, just like my dad, and the heart and soul of people and it will just continue to grow,” Dean said.
A visitation will be held for friends and family Thursday night. Katie’s funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home.
