Hilliard Bennett danced at the Pullen Park Community Center from from 1992 to 1998. Bennett passed away in 1998. His daughter Susan (Bennett) Bakshi donated Hilliard’s painting titled “Cardiac Boogie” as a memorial to her father and all the years he enjoyed dancing at Pullen Park. The painting will be displayed at the community center.
The painting was presented to Community Center Director Abigail Kepler on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Susan and her husband attended the Wednesday night dance.
A tribute to Hilliard Bennett from his daughter, Susan Bakshi
My Dad, Hilliard Bennett, was born in February 1918 and passed away in December 1998 at almost 81. He was the art director in the advertising department of Burroughs Wellcome Pharmaceuticals. Dad’s department produced all of the company’s printed artwork, photos, and information to doctors. Dad retired in 1982. He danced at the Pullen Park Community Center from from 1992 to 1998. I’m his daughter, Susan (Bennett) Bakshi, and I am donating Hilliard’s painting titled “Cardiac Boogie” as a memorial to my father and all the years he enjoyed on the Pullen dance floor.
It is with great celebration that I can donate my father’s oil painting of the Pullen community dance. He had a great love for Pullen which comes out in his painting: the warm colors, people dancing different steps, the enthusiastic musicians, the dance room. We hope that everyone who comes here will be warmed by the glow of the painting. “Cardiac Boogie” means dancing as you get older, but feeling young instead.
Dad was 74 when he started dancing at Pullen Park in 1992 and danced there until 1998. My Mom passed away in 1991, so dad needed something to do. He came to dance reluctantly at first, but pretty soon got the idea that dancing was fun. He enjoyed being one of the few men dancing, but had to be careful not to wear himself out sharing his dancing skills with the ladies.
He became a dedicated dancer and socializer, committed to dancing every week and in special dances and events also. Though he knew how to dance a few steps in the beginning, he realized he could do more, so signing up for dance classes was one way to learn. He bought CDs of dance music, I mean dozens of CDs, which he listened to and practiced in his living room. And when he visited us he would demonstrate what he had learned.
Though we lived 400 miles away, we were amused at his enthusiasm and his determination that if he visited us, it had to be between dance nights and not conflicting with any of them. We were pleased that he had discovered a new passion and a good time with people.
Dad spent lots of time dancing. He also kept busy by painting, writing stories and articles, handwriting analysis, cooking, and writing about the challenges of stuttering, amongst other things.
It will be fun to experience the joy of friends from dad’s past. I hope you will join us at Pullen Park Community Center this Wednesday night to celebrate the donating of his painting, “Cardiac Boogie” and also dad’s love of dance.
In an article in 50plus Magazine “Why Men Don’t Dance – Even Though It’s Good For You,” dad explored some dance questions: What were the people like? How did they dance? What were the expectations? Was it worth the time?
In answer, Hilliard wrote, “The best part of all is why we are here. We have all lived our lives with the joys and troubles that go with getting an education, marriage, parenthood, business and social activities. This is the time for us to put the serious side of our lives on the back burner and just lighten up for a couple of hours to the rhythms of Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Woody Herman, and those other great band leaders whose music is still so familiar to us.”
By Sue (Bennett) Bakshi