Gail Kirk Bennett

Bennett , Gail Kirk , of Northbrook, IL and Gulf Stream, FL passed away at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, FL on Saturday, March 3, 2007. He was 79. Mr. Bennett was born in Des Moines, IA to Gail and Dorothy (nee Kirk) Bennett on October 11, 1927. He was raised in Radburn and Ridgewood, NJ before moving to Evanston, IL in 1941. Mr. Bennett graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1945. He enrolled at Northwestern University for a year before being called to serve in the United States Eighth Army stationed in Japan. Upon returning to the U.S., Mr. Bennett graduated from the Northwestern University School of Commerce in 1949. He met his wife, Shirley (nee Olsen), a 1951 Northwestern graduate, and they were engaged on Valentine's Day in 1953. Mr. Bennett joined his father at their firm, Bennett Brothers, Inc., upon graduating from Northwestern. Originally founded in 1906, Bennett Brothers, Inc. distributes gifts and awards for employee recognition and incentives. Founded on the fundamental principle of fair dealing, the firm first opened its doors to the trade at its offices located in New York City; the company later built office and warehouse facilities in Chicago, IL and Northern NJ. Since the 1920's, customers around the world have purchased jewelry, electronics, housewares and many other fine gifts from the Bennett Blue Book of Quality Merchandise. In 1958, the firm revolutionized corporate employee recognition programs with the introduction of the successful Choose-Your-Gift program, providing an array of gift choices in a mini-catalog format. Bennett Brothers, Inc. has been located at Adams and Wabash in the Chicago Loop since 1938. Mr. Bennett managed the firm in the capacities of Vice President, Executive Vice President and, since 1976, as President. He is a principal owner of Bennett Brothers, Inc. along with his two sons, Kirk Bennett and George Bennett. Over the years, Mr. Bennett employed thousands of workers in Illinois, New York and New Jersey. Several were employed at the firm for over 50 years. For many, Bennett Brothers, Inc. served as their first employment opportunity and often prior employees return from around the country and remark that working at Bennett's was the best job they ever had and the most fun by far. Mr. Bennett supervised all personnel decisions and brought together a very congenial and diverse workforce. Hundreds of couples married after meeting at Bennett's and have since raised families of their own. Mr. Bennett worked with thousands of suppliers and manufacturer representatives over the years including Harry Winston, GE/RCA, Sony, Olympus, Seiko, Gottlieb Brothers, Timex, Canon, Nikon, Bushnell, Jules Jürgensen, N.E.I, Royal Copenhagen, Hoover, Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, Rand McNally, Quad Graphics, UPS, FedEx and USPS. Mr. Bennett served on many philanthropic boards including the Gamma Beta Foundation for Sigma Nu Fraternity at Northwestern University, Hadley School for the Blind, and Evanston Township High School Reunion Committees. In addition, Mr. Bennett was a member of the Mid-Century Combine Investment Club of the North Shore, Sunset Ridge Country Club, and the University Club of Chicago. Mr. Bennett enjoyed photography and this interest enabled his firm to open its own in-house advertising studio in the 1960's to produce Bennett Brothers' catalogs and marketing campaigns. As a result, The Blue Book was one of the first catalogs to use 4-color printing cover-to-cover in 1966. He enjoyed fishing and gardening and, in later years, spent leisurely days at the couple's Gulf Stream, Florida home surf-casting along the beach and nurturing exotic tropical plants. Most of all, Mr. Bennett was devoted to his family, friends and employees. He always had time to advise when challenges were faced or to congratulate when a job was well done. Married for 53 years, Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, Shirley Bennett, and their four children: Barbara (Karl) Meyer of Raleigh, NC, Karen Bennett of Sage, AR, G. Kirk (Marti) Bennett, Jr. of Northfield, IL and George Bennett of Chicago, IL as well as by six grandchildren: Emily Meyer, Katherine Meyer and William Meyer of Raleigh, NC and Flynn Bennett, G. Kirk Bennett III and Kyle Bennett of Northfield, IL. Mr. Bennett is also survived by his sister, Patricia Bennett of Soquel, CA; nieces, Dorothy (Robert) Widmann of Soquel, CA and Pamela (Jerry) Cooper of Bozeman, MT, and nephew, James (Linda) Biram of Laguna Niguel, CA. Visitation will be held on Thursday, Mar. 8 from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Donnellan Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL. Services will be held on Friday, Mar. 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 2515 Central Park Ave., Evanston, IL. Interment to follow immediately at Memorial Park Cemetery, 9900 Gross Point Rd., Skokie, IL. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society.