Joyce Mack’s love of Las Vegas and her influence on UNLV spanned decades, leaving a legacy that reflects her deeply held belief that education can enrich lives and make our world more just.
The revered philanthropist, volunteer, and advocate died on Oct. 11, 2024, at age 99.
Since moving in 1947 to the then-nascent Las Vegas from California as a 22-year-old wife and mother, Mack was enchanted with Nevada. Her husband, banker Jerome Mack, shared her belief in the power of higher education. He partnered with businessman E. Parry Thomas to acquire land for what became UNLV. The two families later joined forces to donate $1 million to spark the development of the Thomas & Mack Center. It opened in 1983 as home to UNLV’s Runnin’ Rebels basketball team and has remained a prominent campus and Las Vegas landmark.
Joyce Mack continued to carry her family’s philanthropic goals forward following the death of Jerry Mack in 1998. She joined the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees in 1999, a position she proudly held for 25 years. She gave millions of dollars to support the William S. Boyd School of Law, establishing the school’s legal clinic, moot courtroom, and a law professorship. In recognition of her tremendous impact, Boyd Law named her a Woman of Valor in 2021.
She was also a passionate supporter of the arts and a key funder of the Lenahan, Saltman, Thomas, and Mack Professorship in UNLV’s College of Fine Arts. The fund supports the work of artist and teacher Tim Bavington. And throughout her many years in Las Vegas, she remained a loyal fan and donor to Rebel Athletics.
“I was saddened to learn of the passing of Joyce Mack,” said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield. “She was a true icon in our community. Her passion and support for Las Vegas, and what it could become, helped lay the foundation for UNLV from our earliest days and throughout our evolution into the thriving major public research university we are today.
“She was a constant positive influence for UNLV and for so many worthy organizations throughout Southern Nevada, and her impact will be remembered for generations to come.”
In 2013, when asked by the UNLV Foundation what she found most rewarding about being a philanthropist, Mack answered, “I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being part of the UNLV story.”
Her decades of generosity and foresight will ensure that she will always be remembered as a pioneer and key figure in the history of UNLV.
On the 15th anniversary of the legal clinic, Mack said, “There is an old saying: Education is the soul of society as it passes from one generation to another. I hope all of you enjoy the university, knowing it’s the greatest gift we can give our children.”
UNLV Foundation President Rickey N. McCurry said, “It’s this type of attitude — her unwavering belief in the good that UNLV could accomplish — that made Joyce so special. She has made a remarkable impact on the foundation, the university, and the community, and it is a privilege to count her as a part of our Rebel Family.”
Mack is survived by three daughters, Karen Mack Goldsmith, Barbara Mack, and Marilynn Mack, who also serves on the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees.
A funeral service was held in California on Oct. 14, and a memorial service is being planned for Nov. 3 in Las Vegas, with details to follow.
