James David Bennett, 61, lost his year-long cancer battle on Sunday, February 16.  In his 27^th year at IUPUI as Senior Lecturer in the TCEM Department teaching restaurant/hotel and tourism management, Mr. Bennett brought his extensive food service experience alive in the classroom.  He was also an adjunct faculty member at Ivy Tech.  He grew up in Summit, NJ, became an Eagle Scout and sang in the Calvary Episcopal Church choir.  Jim earned a BS from Cornell University’s school of hotel administration, and his MS at IUPUI.  Wherever he lived and worked, Jim sang in professional-level choirs (including the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir) and pitched for men’s work and church league softball teams; his love of hockey, football and baseball took him to many sports stadiums and ballparks, and he was a devoted sports dad.

Jim and Jan were married in 1991, cherishing a more than 25-year loving relationship.  Jim’s son Vas returned to Indy to help his dad during his illness, and stepdaughter Alyssa (Bibler) Fisher and her husband Charles will miss Jim’s visits to Johnson City, TN.  Jim  also enjoyed long-distance driving trips to visit his siblings Nan Harrigle (Lenhartsville, PA), Kathy Pier (Madison, NJ) and Doug Bennett (Denville, NJ).  Jim’s other favorite activity was meeting family at local restaurants, especially mother-in-law Marilyn Huckleberry (Carmel, IN) and sister-in-law Jean Hardwick (Bloomington, IN).

Memorial service: Horizon Christian Fellowship, 7702 Indian Lake Road, Indianapolis; Thursday, February 20 at 4:30pm.  Final arrangements with Indiana Funeral Care.

Jim wants to be remembered with donations to American Cancer Society or any animal shelter, honoring the loyal affection of our rescue dogs, who kept Jim company and slept by his recliner throughout his illness.  IUPUI has established a TCEM scholarship fund in Jim Bennett’s honor.