Mary Helen Bennett, 84, passed away on Sunday, September 29, 2019 in Canton, GA. Mary Helen lived in Marietta, GA and is survived by her husband Cliff Bennett, Jr. of Marietta, GA. The photo above is Mary Helen as the young lady Cliff married 67 years ago. Mary Helen was born in Atlanta in 1935 to Roger and Grace Blythe and resided in the Grant Park area of the City. During World War II, her father worked for the automotive industry and was transferred to Michigan to assist in the war effort. The family moved back to Atlanta where Mary Helen graduated from Roosevelt High School. Mary Helen is also survived by her brother Gene Blythe (Sarah) of Fayetteville, GA, her sons Cliff Bennett III (Pam), Danny Bennett (Donna) and John Bennett (Melissa). She has eight grandchildren Andrea (Bennett) married to Justin Fuglio, Joshua Bennett (Amy), Ryan Bennett (Chelsey), Lindsay (Bennett) married to Corey Schmitt, Erin (Bennett) married to Santiago Sierra, Kaitlyn Bennett, Amber Bennett and Kiersten Bennett, and six great grandchildren Kaylee Fuglio, Kaleb Fuglio, Khloe Fuglio, Cole Bennett, Reese Bennett, and Rowan Bennett.

Funeral Service will be at 12:00 noon in the Chapel - Thursday, October 3 at Marietta Funeral Home, 915 Piedmont Road, Marietta, GA 30066. The Reverend and family friend Steve Gillis will officiate the service.

Visitors will be received – Wednesday, October 2, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM and Thursday, October 3, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Flowers are welcome at the Funeral Home

Online condolences may be made to www.mariettafuneralhome.org

~SPECIAL MEMORIES~

One of my favorite memories I have with Nommie was when I was about five years old. Nommie and Poppie were babysitting us and we were all in the car driving back to our house after eating at a Chinese restaurant and we were all talking about fortune cookies. My sisters and I had asked them what their lucky number was and I vividly remember asking Nommie hers and she said it was 8. I didn't have a lucky number, probably because I was only five years old, but I made my lucky number 8 as well. So whenever I get a fortune cookie I always look for that number 8 and it always reminds me of her. – Amber Bennett

I always think of her with a smile on her face. That felt so welcoming. And I'm gonna miss her amazing sugar cookies made with love. - Amy Bennett

I have 40 years of memories with Nommie. Spending time at Nommie and Poppie's house when I was little was always special. Sleeping over, holidays and summer days at their pool. She taught me to play the only song I know how to play on the piano. She showed me how to make her waffles. When I was getting married she made me a sweet photo album that I cherish. I will always love her and am grateful she believed in God and I get to see her again. - Andrea Fuglio

I'll always remember my first "Thanksmas" at Nommie and Poppie's and walking in to see the stockings she hung each year for all the kids, grandkids and grandkids - they took up the whole mantle! I remember thinking how cool it was to see this huge family she started. And, I will always remember her departing tagline: "we enjoyed it…." - Chelsey Bennett

Mary Helen and I loved to travel. We were blessed to be able to travel to Maui, Victoria, Lake Louise, Flint, New York, London, Caracas, Madrid to name a few, and other places around the world. Great memories! – Cliff Bennett, Jr.

Mom loves her boys and always wanted to spend time with us. Her last vacation was in March spending time with us at the Braves Training camp. She was not near the baseball fan we are, but she enjoyed hanging out with us. I love you, Mom. - Cliff Bennett, III

I always remember her smiling. She was such a sweet lady and I know a loving grandma.  – Corey Schmitt

I remember being so excited to go to Nommie and Poppie's for Thanksgiving because I felt loved and the food was amazing! - Cole Bennett

I have vivid memories of my childhood with Mom. When I was only five, I remember being in church with her with my head in her lap grabbing a quick nap and her holding my hand on my first day of school. We were always going places and it was fun just being in the car with her. Thanksgiving dinners will always be a favorite memory, the amount of food and flavors were incredible!  – Danny Bennett

My favorite times with Nommie were the many hours we spent collecting Precious Moments. We were charter members of the local club and had so much fun with it, especially when we went to the National Convention in Chicago one year. At one point, we both admitted our respective collections were outgrowing our shelves. So time and again, we made a pact with one other that we wouldn't buy any more figurines...but that only lasted until the newest one came out. We just had to have them! - Donna Bennett

Nommie was everything that people wish for in a grandparent. I hope to someday be a grandma like her and provide warmth, comfort and lifelong memories to a big family like she did. - Erin Bennett

One of my favorite memories as a kid was spending the night with Nommie and Poppie. Nommie would make THE BEST waffles and we'd sit and talk and laugh. - Josh Bennett

I remember Nommie treating me like one of the grandkids well before I married into the family. She was always loving and serving with her giant heart. And of course I will never forget her amazing meals she spent so much time preparing for all of us! - Justin Fuglio

I loved going to Nommie and Poppie's house for Thanksgiving. Nommie made the best food and after we ate we played football and basketball in the backyard. They had the best Thanksgivings. - Kaleb Fuglio

I remember Nommie being quiet but funny. I was always so excited to go over to her and Poppie's house for Thanksgiving. I felt like they made holidays so much fun for everyone. She was sweeter than her sugar cookies and will always hold a special place in my heart. - Kaylee Fuglio

I loved Nommie's cooking and my favorite was her thumbprint cookies. – Kiersten Bennett

While Mary Helen was quiet, she had a good sense of humor and a little sass behind that sweet smile. With Poppie, she raised three truly wonderful and successful boys, one of whom is my father. Nommie was not only an amazing cook, she was an incredible baker. Every holiday, there were not one but three homemade cakes (hummingbird, yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and coconut) and two kinds of cookies (thumbprint and her infamous sugar cookies stamped with red or green glitter sprinkles). I loved watching her in the kitchen, amazed at how she managed to create this huge, beautiful meal in her little kitchen. She was never stressed, you could tell she enjoyed it. She loved people through her cooking. And she inspired my own passion for baking. Another memory I have is getting makeup goodies from her - she got so much joy out of it that sometimes I think she bought Clinique makeup just to get samples for her granddaughters. She was the definition of a sweet, loving grandma. I'm so thankful for the years we had together and I can rest a little easier knowing she is now one of God's angels looking down on us, enjoying her fried shrimp from Aunt Catfish's and making her rounds between Hawaii, Daytona, and Town Center mall. – Lindsay Bennett

I had special times with Nommie always helping her cook. Forty-five years of cooking. Birthday parties, Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. All of it. Now I have a killer gravy! - Pam Bennett

She would always laugh. - Reese Bennett

She was funny. - Rowan Bennett

I'll always remember Nommie and Poppie coming to a hundred basketball, football, and baseball games of mine from 5 years old through high school and after EVERY SINGLE GAME she would pull out a pack of baseball cards for me from her purse. - Ryan Bennett

I will always remember Nommie for the fact that she gave me my first true Thanksgiving meal and after that I looked forward to it every year. - Santi Sierra