Yvonne Crum

Carolyn Tillery and Yvonne Crum
Photo submitted

Yvonne Crum is not your typical product of a disadvantaged childhood. Upon becoming a young woman, she decided that who she would become and what she would ultimately accomplish would be determined not by fate, but by herself.

Coming from a background in sociology and psychology, she quickly realized a career in social work wasn’t where she would make her mark.

Yvonne Crum and Jill Rowlett
Photo submitted

Yvonne joined Braniff Airlines in 1964, and ultimately retired in 2010 from American Airlines. During her career as a flight attendant, she worked in flight service management, recruiting, new route presentations, and was eventually added to the Flight Attendants Hall of Fame. Throughout her airline career, Yvonne volunteered in her community, as she was committed to make a difference in people’s lives. Then, she discovered the Dallas Summer Musicals. As if magic and seemingly overnight, Yvonne went from being a full-time wife, and mother, flight attendant, and community volunteer to a somewhat local force of nature.

With her love of music and theater, and her excitement at meeting all kinds of talented performers, Yvonne threw herself into her musicals, and served as president of the Musical’s Guild for six years. Yvonne worked on the Communications Council of Dallas to help make the state a major player in the film industry, and raised much-needed funds for the Texas Film Commission. She went on to chair the Communicator of the Year Award for three years with Horton Foote, Sandy Duncan, and Larry Hagman. Yvonne’s amazing fund-raising abilities really garnered attention when she agreed to chair the annual luncheon style show for The Kidney Foundation of Texas in 1976 . In 2001 she again signed on to host the luncheon and style show for KidneyTexas, this time calling on friend and designer, Bob Mackie, as guest designer, topping her previous accomplishments.

Cynthia Smoot’s hat
Photo submitted

She has lent her fundraising, organizing, and motivational skills to many causes in Dallas by serving on boards, chairing luncheons,, dinners, and galas: including Dallas Children’s Theater, Mental Health Association, Nexus Recovery Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Northwood University, and the DIFFA Style Council,

Few charitable causes delight her more than her work with the Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden; she hosted its Gatsby Gala. However, it’s the annual Mad Hatter’s Tea Party which she eagerly awaits each spring. She has chaired the fundraiser and headed virtually every committee.

Moved by what she felt was an inordinate number of suicide deaths in the community, Yvonne sought a way to bring attention and understanding to the usually taboo subject. The result has not only brought attention to the subject, but has had a great positive impact on survivors (the loved ones left behind). Yvonne provided outreach with her creation of Suicide and Crisis Center Fresh Faces of Fashion, providing a sensitive way to raise money, and bringing in more than $1 million in the organization’s first five years.

Yvonne Crum

Yvonne was been honoured with The Distinguished Woman Award from Northwood University in 2001, the Dallas Historical Society Award for Excellence in Volunteering in 2006, and in 2009 was named Woman of the Year by Les Femmes du Monde. Yvonne received the most prestigious honorary doctorate from Northwood University in 2009, and recently was Awarded the Volunteer Leadership Award by the Women that Soar, a televised award show.

Yvonne and her husband, Mayo, have been married 45 years. Their son Michael, along with granddaughter Samantha, also live in Dallas.