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Building Community: The Legacy of Art & Marty Dees
In Walton County, few names are as synonymous with local broadcasting and community engagement as Art and Marty Dees. Their journey through the world of radio has not only chronicled the evolution of DeFuniak Springs but has also played an integral role in shaping its social fabric.
Art and Marty met at Carson-Newman University (then Carson-Newman College) in Tennessee and married the year Art graduated. Marty graduated the following year. After teaching German for a few years, Art transitioned into broadcasting, working at several PBS stations in a half dozen cities across the country. In 1980, they moved to DeFuniak Springs and purchased the local radio station WGTX/WQUH.
Above image: Art Dees interviewing State Senator Pat Thomas.
Throughout his career, Art has interviewed hundreds of people, from local leaders to national icons. His guest list includes Julia Child, Mr. Rogers, President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, Dick Cavett, Viola Davis, and Joe Scarborough. He has also interviewed many Walton County figures, including Seaside town founder Robert Davis. “It was a delight,” Art says, recalling frequent phone calls to the radio station from former Florida Governor Bob Graham. “Bob’s aunt, Ina Thompson, lived here, so he would call in to let her know he was doing a good job.”
Marty, as both a broadcaster and the business manager at WZEP, took on various roles, from playing music to hosting professionals on health matters and other topics. One of her most beloved contributions was hosting Country Store, a buy-and-sell show that connected locals through everyday commerce and conversation. “One of our most memorable items for sale was an artificial left leg,” Marty recalls with a laugh.
From the early days of their careers, Art and Marty have understood the unique role that local media plays in community development. Long before the advent of social media, their broadcasts served as a lifeline, connecting residents with local news, sports, and community events. Their work has helped cultivate a shared sense of identity and belonging—something that cannot be replaced by the fast-moving, often impersonal world of digital media.
Art’s love for broadcasting started early. “My broadcast career started in my bedroom—just experimenting. I’d broadcast, and if some of the neighborhood kids were playing baseball, I’d sit on the front porch and call their game. The mamas would be listening,” Art says. What began as a childhood pastime turned into a lifelong career of storytelling and community-building.
Above image: JW Adkison, long-time owner of the Thriftway Supermarket, with Art Dees on the station’s iconic tandem bike during a parade.
Sports coverage was the cornerstone of their work, reinforcing community pride and deep-rooted connections among neighbors. Whether covering a Friday night football game or a hometown hero making waves in collegiate athletics, Marty and Art have strengthened Walton County’s sense of unity, bringing people together through shared victories and heartbreaks.
Their humor and relatability endeared them to listeners. Even their own children kept them accountable, as Art recalls: “Our daughter came home one day and said, ‘Daddy, I can put up with your jokes, but you make the food at the lunchroom sound edible, and that’s not right.'”
Above image: Art Dees in a Defuniak Springs Parade with local children.
But broadcasting wasn’t always glamorous—sometimes, it meant diving headfirst into the action. Art recalls a moment when covering a local fire emergency turned into an adventure: “We were riding with the county executive at the time, and he gets a call on the two-way saying there was somebody trapped. He said, ‘We’re going through the flames.’ So we got real close to each other and went through the flames.”
Their impact extends far beyond radio waves. They embrace community engagement – showing up and participating. Whether supporting the Pilot Club or encouraging involvement in the Life Enrichment Senior Center, their presence in civic organizations reinforces their connections. “The best way to build community is to be genuinely interested in the children, the parents, the grandparents, the businesses,” Marty says.
A Lasting Legacy
As Walton County moves forward in an age of rapid technological change, their story serves as a reminder that community is not built through algorithms or viral trends—it is built through shared experiences, active participation, and a willingness to invest in the people and places around us.
Let us take inspiration from Art & Marty Dees. Attend a local club meeting, support a community event, tune into local broadcasts, and engage with the people who make our hometowns special. Because, as their story has shown, the strength of Walton County—and beyond—lies in the hands of those who choose to be a part of it.
