It is not an overstatement to say that without Ken Dayton, Minneapolis would never have gained a national reputation as a city of the arts. “He and his wife, Judy, were key players in a small group of wealthy, socially prominent Minneapolis families who remade the city’s artistic life in the last half of the 20th century. They helped it evolve from a Midwest city with a few robust old civic institutions into a national model of thriving contemporary and traditional culture, renowned for its philanthropic support… [They] contributed more than $100 million to the Minnesota Orchestra, the Walker Art Center and other civic, social and cultural causes.” Ken Dayton died this weekend, one day shy of his 81st birthday.