Art HilgartAug. 18, 2010 Art Hilgart, a fellow in the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University and host of "Broadway Revisited" on National Public Radio, died Aug. 3 in Kalamazoo. He was 74. A Chicago native, he retired in 1992 after 35 years with the Upjohn Co., where he was executive director of corporate planning and development. He produced his nationally syndicated weekly radio program on NPR for nearly 20 years, first at WUOM and then at WMUK. He also taught the history of film and music theatre at WMU. His civic and cultural contributions to Kalamazoo include president of Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan, president of the Kalamazoo Civic Players, president of the Kalamazoo Council on Human Relations, chair of the Community Access Center, and founding member of the local American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International chapters. With his wife, Carolyn, he created the first Democratic precinct organization in Kalamazoo. An open house celebration of his life will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at his home at 1801 Evanston Ave., Kalamazoo, with spoken remembrances beginning at 2:30 p.m. Media contact: Deanne Puca, (269) 387-8400, deanne.puca@wmich.edu WMU News |
