Helen Hovland BENN

BENN, Helen Hovland

92, passed away peacefully on July 27, 2014 with her daughter Peggy and grandson Chris, by her side. Born in Newton Lower Falls, MA to Almer and Margaret Hovland, Helen, her parents later moved to West Virginia. She attended Huntington High School, where she sang and performed in theater productions and operettas. Moving back to Boston to attend Boston University, she was a member of the Pi Kappa Epsilon Sorority. Helen graduated with an Associates degree in Home Economics. Married in 1942 to John L. Benn, they lived in Boston, New York, Chicago, Louisville, and in the Philadelphia area (Springfield and Media) before retiring and moving to Florida. Helen was an active member of Princeton Presbyterian Church (Springfield, PA) and sang in the choir. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing beautiful party dresses and ballet costumes for her daughters. She enjoyed playing bridge, bowling, platform tennis, gardening, and was an avid scrabble player! Helen and her husband John (deceased January 2014) spent the last 24 years in Palm Beach County, Florida. They enjoyed traveling together visiting family and competing in tennis tournaments. Helen was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She will be dearly missed by her five children, John, Jr. (Kathy), Peggy Morphesis (Don), Betsy Woodrow (Gordon), Deborah Benn, and Lisa Costigan (Joe). She will also be missed by her grandchildren: Kristel, Michael, Kim, Christopher, Nicole, Berry and Lacey; and great grandchildren: Kalani, Kai, Kristyn, Chase, Carter, Addison, Carson, Eva and Mia; as well as many friends and family around the country. On Saturday July 19, 2014, a memorial service for Helen will be held at St. Andrew's Estates North Retirement Community where she and her husband lived for 13 years and made many friends. The service will be held in the auditorium at 3 pm, 6152 Verde Trail North, Boca Raton, FL.

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