originally posted on 7/21/2023
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James “David” Dean died peacefully in the loving care of his wife, Kristi, at their home in Lubbock, Texas, on May 29. He was 67.
Many ACE members knew David as the owner and president of Joyland Amusement Park. For 50 seasons, Joyland entertained families in Lubbock and surrounding towns.
David often commented that the best memories he had of owning Joyland were seeing the smiles on people’s faces. In addition to his mechanical expertise, his most valuable contribution to Joyland was his heart. He loved the park, and he enjoyed welcoming kids and families each season. David was the true embodiment of all the admirable qualities and characteristics of being an owner of a family-owned traditional park.
David was quite skilled with machines, which made him a natural fit to work with amusement rides. Anyone who knew David knew full well that he was an extremely hard worker.
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“David and Kristi Dean were always so welcoming to ACE,” said David Lipnicky, ACE South Central assistant regional rep. “They were always so inviting to ACE members, almost as if they were saying, ‘come on in and enjoy our home.’ David was always excited to gleefully share with ACE members their plans for their park during our event dinners. Kristi was always thinking of surprises for our event attendees, often things like nice park merchandise. Considering Kristi never told the regional rep team of their plans, we were often as surprised as our attendees. I will miss David, as well as seeing him and Kristi as we will all miss Joyland.”
Those who knew him well also knew of his love of cars and drag racing, which dated back to his childhood. He loved racing for the sheer enjoyment. In younger days, he participated in racing competitions and his winnings allowed him to buy an engagement ring to propose to Kristi. He loved taking his family to the races, which included the pets.
The Deans made the decision to close Joyland last fall. Even though health concerns began to take their toll, David was still involved in finding homes for the many rides that delighted visitors at Joyland.
Members who visited Joyland will surely remember seeing David staying busy interacting with guests and his staff and taking care of the rides. David was an ACE member, with Joyland also being a corporate member of the organization.
David’s impact on the city of Lubbock and its generations of families is unmistakable.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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