Helen Coman Dodd

We now say goodbye to our beloved mother Helen Coman Dodd of Marietta, GA, who peacefully left this world on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, surrounded by her family and just a few months short of her 99th birthday.

Helena Coman Dodd was born on March 21, 1921 to William and Helena (Hayes) Coman in South Amboy New Jersey. Her parents were recent immigrants from Ireland (having journeyed over on the ill-fated Lusitania, which was sunk by a German U Boat on a subsequent voyage back to Ireland) and believed fervently in the American dream of a better life for themselves and their children: Mae, Bill, Helen, John and Betty (who was born shortly after William died).

In 1929 Helen's father William died of tuberculosis and left her mother Helena a widow having to raise 5 children in the midst of the Great Depression. This hard-scrabble upbringing not only instilled in Helen the need to be prudent with finances and to always think of those in need but it also showed her the importance of pulling together as a family through hard times as well as savoring the joyful moments in life.

Helen once said of her childhood "We didn't have much, but we had each other and we had a lot of fun - there was always a lot of carrying on and good-natured mischief taking place."

When World War 2 broke out, Helen did factory work to aid in the war effort and she spent her leisure time with her childhood friend Winnie (who was then dating and would later marry Helen's little brother John). Her brother John was serving in the US Navy (stationed in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska) and it was there he met Arthur J Dodd.

As the story goes - John told Art about his dear old Irish mother and after the war ended, Art decided to travel from his home in New York City to go visit them in South Amboy, New Jersey to meet such a sweet and wonderful Irish woman.

Once Art and Helen met - the beginnings of a whirlwind romance started and shortly thereafter - they married.

Their first child Maureen Dodd Clapperton was born in 1949. One year later they had their first son John. A few years after that came Anne and finally Thomas.

Helen was a homemaker and housewife but was also actively involved in the Catholic church. She and Art were always helping people through prison ministry, hospital ministry and the Cursillo movement.

She was also a champion bowler and volunteered for over 30 years as a docent at her local art museum.

Helen is survived by her daughters Maureen Clapperton and Anne Dodd Day and her son Thomas Dodd and by her grandsons Conor and Dylan Hodges and her granddaughter Helena (Pookie) Dodd.

She is preceded in death by her mother, father, all of her siblings as well as her son John..

A Mass will take place at the Catholic Church of St. Margaret Mary in Winter Park Florida (date to be announced later) in late March.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of the Catholic Church of St. Ann.