Julia Winton Dayton Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Dayton (Winton), Julia "Judy" Julia (Judy) Winton Dayton was born on April 26, 1927 in Spokane, Washington, near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where her father, Charles J. Winton, Jr. was in the lumber business as a member of the Minneapolis family-owned Winton Lumber Company. The family returned to Minneapolis in 1929. Mrs. Dayton attended Kenwood School and after the family moved to Deephaven in 1937, Groveland School. She graduated from Northrop Collegiate School (now The Blake School) in 1945 and Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut in 1949. Following college, Mrs. Dayton worked for Time Inc. in New York City for three years prior to her marriage in 1953 to Kenneth N. Dayton, one of the five Dayton brothers involved in the management and expansion of The Dayton Company into today's Target Corporation. Over many years, Mr. and Mrs. Dayton have been leading philanthropists in the Twin Cities area. In addition, Mrs. Dayton has been an active community volunteer. Since 1966 she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Walker Art Center. She served as the first woman President of the Walker from 1971 to 1973 and she was an Honorary Director at the time of her death. She and her husband have contributed many art works to the Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden including most of their own personal collection of contemporary art. Her other most active commitment has been to the Minnesota Opera as a member of the Board of Directors (1988-1999), Honorary Director since 2000, and co-chairman of the Artistic Development Campaign (1995-1998) which raised $11.5 M of endowment funds for the Company. Mrs. Dayton has also served as a member of the Board of Directors (1964-1972) and the President (1967-1969) of the Young People's Symphony Concert Association of the Minnesota Orchestra; The Blake Schools Alumni Association Board (1971-1974); Vice President of the Metropolitan Opera in the Upper Midwest (1972-1986); a Trustee of the American Federation of Arts, New York City (1973-1993); an Elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church (1975-1978); a member of the Board of Directors of the Science Museum of Minnesota (1979-1983); and a member of the Board of Directors of Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund, a PAC supporting pro-choice women candidates for political office. In recognition of her service to Connecticut College she was awarded the College Medal in 1991. Mr. and Mrs. Dayton together had a life-long love of contemporary architecture. Their home in Wayzata was designed in the late sixties by the renowned New York architect Romaldo Giurgola. In the late 1990's the Dayton's present award-winning home in Kenwood was designed by Minneapolis architect Vincent James in collaboration with landscape architect George Hargreaves of Harvard University and Jamie Carpenter of New York. Mrs. Dayton is survived by a son, Judson of Wayzata, his wife Shelley, a son, Duncan of Waccabuc, New York and his wife, Renea, three grandchildren, Caroline Dayton, Davis Dayton, and Nelson Dayton, and 4 step-grandchildren, Jonathon Mydra, Katherine Mydra, Joseph Mydra, and Daniel Mydra. She is also survived by her trusty companion, Rene Hentges, and a crew of fantastic caretakers. Her brother, Charles J. Winton of Tiburon, California, died in 2000. Her sister, Helen Winton Whitney of Wayzata, died in 2011. Her brother McDonald Winton of Excelsior, died in 2017. The family requests no flowers and no memorials. Services will be announced at a later date.

Tributes

Julia Winton Dayton

April 26, 1927 - August 11, 2021

Tributes

Julia Winton Dayton

April 26, 1927 - August 11, 2021

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