Dee Jennings, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Black Chamber of Commerce, has died

Devoyd “Dee” Jennings, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, died Saturday, according to an announcement from the chamber.

Bob Ray Sanders, communications director for the chamber and a high school friend of Jennings, said the death was unexpected but did not share details about the cause of death. Jennings was 73.

The chamber said the best way to honor Jennings, a lifelong Fort Worth resident who grew up in the Butler Place community, would be to continue the work he did.

“He will be missed immensely but in the true spirit of who Dee was, he would want us to move forward to maintain, protect and grow the legacy that he spent his life building,” Sultan Cole, chairman of the chamber, wrote in the announcement.

Jennings was always looking for ways to help his community, Sanders said. Before joining the chamber, Jennings was instrumental in getting Oncor field offices established in majority Black neighborhoods like Stop Six and Como, Sanders said.

He was also always looking for ways to help young minority community members find social mobility and business success, Sanders said. Jennings would actively seek out young people he thought would be a good fit at the chamber but wouldn’t stay there long because they had greater potential.

Jennings was responsible for helping countless young business people find their start through that and through working with local entities to get contracts for Black-owned businesses.

And he was an amazing friend, Sanders said.

“If he was a friend of yours, he was a friend for life. Most people would tell you that,” Sanders said. “So many people owe their starts, owe part of their success to Dee Jennings because of the path he laid for them.”

Jennings, a member of the I.M. Terrell High School 1965 state championship basketball team, stayed in close contact with most of his friends through his higher education at Tarrant County College and Texas Wesleyan University and into his career.

Wayne “Spanky” Lewis said that was definitely his experience with Jennings.

The two met when they were in the sixth grade. He said Jennings was the captain of the Patrol Boys, responsible for things like being crossing guards for school, and he asked Lewis to be his right-hand man.

Lewis accepted, thinking it was odd that a boy he’d never met wanted him to be his lieutenant in the group, but he saw it as an opportunity to be involved at school and make a new friend. What he didn’t know was Jennings was getting attacked regularly by bigger boys before school.

The first day they were working together at a crosswalk, Jennings saw the boys coming. He told Lewis to get ready to fight his way to the school. Lewis was confused, he said, but stood next to Jennings. They’ve been friends ever since, Lewis said, always fighting for each other.

“I was blessed to grow up with the guy of that nature,” Lewis said. “I thank God for putting me and he together, because it was a great, great, great 73 years. And I can truly say 73 years. Not many people can say they walked through their whole lives with a friend.”

That friendship took them to train in basketball under Robert Hughes, the former I.M. Terrell and Fort Worth Dunbar coach who is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the nation’s winningest high school boys basketball coach. Lewis and Sanders said Jennings looked up to the coach as a mentor the rest of his life.

Jennings loved Fort Worth, Lewis said. He remembered when Lewis moved to New York City for two years for work. The size of the city stressed him out and caused him to gain about 50 pounds.

But when he moved back to Fort Worth, Lewis said he thrived again. He knew and loved the communities in the city and worked his whole life to improve the lives of those around him.

He worked for 27 years with electric companies in management and as a lobbyist and community affairs specialist, according to a bio he wrote about himself. He worked on community business boards and with his alma mater.

The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce called Jennings an advocate, a champion of small business and a voice for the community.

“The impact that Dee has had throughout his decades of leadership should be celebrated and remembered,” the Hispanic chamber wrote in an Instagram post. “He often spoke of his Butler Place beginnings, an ode to all who began from humble beginnings and strived to new levels of success.”

He was a pillar in the community, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said on Twitter.

“A true friend and inspiration to so many, including my own family,” Parker wrote. “Dee leaves behind a remarkable legacy because of his devotion to this community and willingness to continually lead and make all of us better.”

Lewis said he will always remember the impact Jennings had in his life and the loyalty they had for each other as friends.

“He was my No. 1 guy,” Lewis said. “He’s always been a caring person. ... He was always there to support me and the people he loves and people in general.”