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Celebration of the Life of Hilt Kelly

Dancers celebrate the life of Hilt Kelly to the music of  a joint band consisting of John Jacobson and the Tremperskill Boys, Earl and Mimi Pardini, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Laura Kortright, and more musicians below.
 

On Sunday, March 22, at the Halcott Grange in Halcott Center, New York, approximately 70 people gathered in memory of Hilt Kelly, the legendary fiddler and square dance caller who died on March 3.   Kelly's daughter and son, Linda Armour and Lynn Kelly, spearheaded the celebration, complete with displays of  Kelly memorabilia.  Tom and Lanore Miller organized the pot luck luncheon and Pete and Nancy Ballard arranged for the hall.  

 

Musicians and dancers from around the Catskills gathered to reminisce and to offer the best memorial possible for Hilt: lots of good music and dancing.  Along with John Jacobson, Hilt's "Sidekicks", Don Irwin and Don Strausser, called a couple of dances.  One highlight of the day was when Hilt and Stella's daughter Linda stepped forward and called a square dance as if she had been calling them for years.  Another highlight was the sight of son Lynn dancing the Tennessee Waltz with his mother, Stella.  

 

Ira McIntosh, Pete Helverson, Earl Pardini, Dane Scudder and others provided music during lunch.
 



Paul Rosenberg adds a story about Hilt to the family story book.
 

Everyone agreed it was a wonderful celebration of Hilt's life that helped us each cope with how much we miss him.  A suggestion was made to Catskills Folk Connection that the celebration should become an annual event.  We'll be very pleased to make sure that happens.

 

Ginny



 

 

 

The Catskill Region Loses Legendary Fiddler and Square Dance Caller

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Hilt Kelly, the Catskills' own traditional fiddler and square dance caller, on the evening of Tuesday, March 3, after a long illness.  There will be many memorial tributes, among them the square dance on March 22, see below, which is being re-purposed as a celebration of Hilt's life to which everyone is invited.   The celebration, including a pot luck luncheon , will begin at 11 a.m. at the Halcott Grange, and at 1 p.m. the square dance will begin. Bring your memories, your recollections, and photos to share with Hilt and Stella's friends and family, then stay for the dance.  The Watershed Post is collecting recollections and comments at www.watershedpost.com. Other gatherings may be planned and will be announced here.

Ginny