Gail Bennett Died 1976

BENNETT KIRK

Posted By: Connie J Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/19/2012 at 19:18:30

The Mapleton Press
29 April 1976

Pioneer Merchandiser Dies in Florida

Gail Bennett, 80, of Winnetka, Illinois, Chairman and President of Bennett Brothers, Inc., New York, New Jersey and Illinois died Easter morning at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Mr. Bennett was born in Rodney and raised near Mapleton, graduating from Mapleton High School and Iowa State University. The descendants of the family of his father, James L. Bennett, including the family of his brother, the late Oliver P. Bennett have been residents of Mapleton for many years. The Gail Bennett family later lived in Des Moines where the Kirk family (of the widow) still resides.

Mr. Bennett has worked most of his life with Bennett Brothers, Inc., a merchandise distributing firm. He was a pioneer in mail order merchandising and for 50 years has been in charge of producing the Bennett Blue Book, one of the finest merchandise catalogs published.

Surviving are his wife, Dorothy, a son, Gail Kirk, a daughter, Patricia Bennett Biram and seven grandchildren.

Attending the services from Mapleton were Kirk Bennett and Mr. and Mrs. O.P. Bennet, Jr., Mrs. Dorothy B. Bromwell of Cedar Rapids, and James L. Bennett of Des Moines also attended.