Jean Marie Compton

Jean Marie Compton

June 22, 1947 - January 17, 2026

Jean Marie Compton-writer, editor, dancer, artist, and beloved partner and friend-died at home on January 17, 2026, surrounded by friends, after a long and courageous struggle with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA). She was 78.

Born June 22, 1947, in San Antonio, Texas, to Nolan Compton and Margaret Bankhead Compton, Jean grew up as a Navy brat, moving frequently and encountering the wider world early. As a small child, she sailed to Guam on a passenger vessel, exploring beaches and coral reefs in the 1950s, when traces of World War II still lingered on the island. Her father served as a Navy cook, preparing meals for servicemen and flight crews during the Korean War era.

After duty postings on both coasts, Jean completed high school in Corpus Christi, Texas, where her father concluded his naval career. There, she edited her high school yearbook and worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, covering local stories and, memorably, the breaking wire report of actress Jane Mansfield's death.

Jean's Texas roots ran deep. Her parents met in San Antonio, and she returned there to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity University. While at Trinity, she discovered a love of theater and continued her training through the university's MFA program at the Dallas Theater Center, one of the nation's most influential regional theaters. There, she studied acting, directing, and costume design under Paul Baker, a pioneering figure in American theater.

She began her professional career as a writer and creative director at The Bloom Agency, then Dallas's leading advertising firm. Working with clients such as Zale's Jewelers and Bell Helicopter, she traveled extensively to New York and Paris. By her mid-twenties, she had risen to Vice President, but chose to leave corporate life in favor of more independent and creative work.

In the 1970s, Jean became editor of The Iconoclast, Dallas's legendary underground newspaper, and worked nights as a bartender at the Stoneleigh P, a gathering place for artists, writers, and musicians. During this period, she returned to dance, studying modern movement with Jerry Bywaters Cochran and performing with the Dance Ensemble of Dallas. She later served as a choreographer for both dance companies and musical theater productions.

At the same time, Jean established herself as a highly respected corporate speechwriter and scriptwriter, working with senior leaders and producing conference films and celebrity videos. Throughout her life, poetry remained central to her creative practice.

In the early 1990s, Jean met her husband, Dain Dunston. Their shared life was rooted in creativity, mutual encouragement, and a wide circle of artistic friendships. Jean studied with Philip Levine in Aspen and with Maxine Kumin and Donald Justice at the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and their home became a gathering place for poets, playwrights, actors, and filmmakers.

Jean later wrote a docudrama on the life of blues musician Robert Johnson, directed by Peter Meyer, narrated by Danny Glover, and featuring Keb' Mo' as Johnson. In the 2000s through 2023, her focus turned to visual art. She became a respected dealer specializing in Outsider Art and American Folk Art, exhibiting at venues including the Outsider Art Fair in New York, Folk Fest in Atlanta, and the Objects of Art Show in Santa Fe.

Jean faced her long illness with resilience, humor, and clarity. After multiple hospitalizations in the fall of 2025, she was released from Ascension Seton Hays in November and spent her final weeks at home in the care of Hospice Austin.

She is survived by her husband, Dain Dunston, and her cousins Ann Jones, James Garner, Richard Garner, Janice Magee, and Patty Magee. A memorial will be held at a later date.