Helen Louise Bender, 92, of Homer City, died August 1, 2021, at Beacon Ridge, Indiana, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of the late Charles V. and Bernadine (Glasstetter) Roser and was born May 29, 1929, in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
She was a member of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish and was employed at Syntron in Homer City. She also worked at Riverside-Bi-Lo Bakery in Indiana and retired from there after 21 years of employment.
Helen married Nick Bender on August 5, 1950, in Winchester VA. She loved to bake and cook and took pride in her canned goods each year. She was a 1947 graduate of Homer City High School where she enjoyed being a majorette. Helen was a Junior and Senior Girl Scout leader in Homer City for several years. She helped with the Rainbow Room at the Homer-Center High School and volunteered at the elementary school where she retired after 19 years.
She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She enjoyed spending time with her family and was always the one with the camera in her hand at all of her grandkid’s activities. Our mother will always be remembered for her love of dancing and was a jitterbug queen. She would do anything for anyone. We never tired of hearing “I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck” and “Mirror mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all”, and that is a great thing! She will be a tough act to follow.
Helen is survived by her children, Bonnie Craft, of Homer City; Nick ( Luanne) Bender, of Williamsport; Tina (Tim) McAdoo, of Homer City; Patti (Randy) George of Indiana; and Scott (Karrie) Bender of Pittsburgh; grandchildren, Carrie (Jeff) George; Nina (Brett) Emery; Jaclyn (Brad) Ruch; Meghan (Jay) Rauschkolb; Ben (Toni) McAdoo; Jodi (Josh) Orr; Tim McAdoo; Abby (Brandon) Vaughan; Alicia ( Nick) Schweitzer; Lindsey (Austin) Cates; Nico and Carson Bender; and nineteen and a half great-grandchildren.
Helen is also survived by her sister, Maryanne (Regis) Troxell, and sister-in-law, Agnes Roser, both of Homer City; brother in law, Edward Bender, of Johnstown and sister in law, Jeanne Bender, of Madison VA. Numerous nieces and nephews and her very special friend Lee Rash of Homer City also survive her.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband Nick, her brother, Charles B. Roser, and her son-in-law, Thomas J. Craft.
Friends will be received Thursday from 2-4 and 6-9 PM at the Bowser Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Homer City. A Blessing Service will be held Friday at 1:00 PM at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 1:30 PM at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Lucernemines Site. Interment to follow in the church cemetery, Lucernemines.
