Marni Therese Benson

It is with great sadness that we share with friends and family that Marni Therese Benson, age 66, of Dallas, Texas, passed away surrounded by her loving family in her home on Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Her battle with esophageal cancer has come to an end. During the past year, we watched in awe as we saw Marni exhibit a surreal amount of strength, bravery, and will. She remained a loving mother, wife, grandmother and daughter to the very end.

Marni is survived by her husband, Scott Benson; her children, Stephen (Caroline) Berndt, Ryan (Mary) Berndt, Michael Berndt, Christopher (Beth) Benson, and Laurel (Chris) Wrench; her grandchildren, Sutton, Lily, Cooper, Nolan, Bailey, Audrey, Carter and Juliet; her mother, Merle; her aunt, Melba; and numerous other beloved family members, including her puppies Maddie and Murphy, who never left her side. Preceding her in passing was her father, Charles Knight; her brother, Charles Knight; her mother-in-law, Margie Benson; and her father-in-law, Arvid Benson.

Marni was born to Charles and Merle Knight on July 9, 1955 in Oakland, California. Her father, Charles, was a founding member of the Blue Angels and a Naval test pilot, so Marni was no stranger to new places. In addition to California, she also lived in Key West, Florida, Pensacola, Florida and McClean, Virginia. She grew up primarily in Arlington, Texas where she attended high school. She graduated from Texas Tech and was an esteemed sister of the Alpha Phi Sorority. She worked as a paralegal and in marketing research, but truly stepped into her life's purpose as a mother with the births of her three beloved sons, and with the addition of her cherished step-children, Christopher and Laurel.

Marni and Scott met through mutual friends and bonded early over their love of their children. The two were married in Dallas in 1998, at the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. They shared a love of traveling, cooking, their pets, and spending time with their family and dear friends from all over the United States. Together, they built a wonderful life.

Marni was an exceptional cook and kept us all full and happy with her enchiladas, her burrito casserole, her chicken and noodles, and certainly when she broke out the deep fryer for "fry-fest" at her home in Coppell, Texas. We choose to believe that she loved watching four teenage boys devour an ungodly amount of bacon and pancakes on a Saturday morning. As a quilter and a crafter, she made the most beautiful blankets and keepsakes for all of us; they will serve as memories that we will cherish as we attempt to do the hard work of attempting to live our lives without her. Marni was not just a person who made a place feel like home; she was home.

Service for Marni will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, March 25, 2022, at Sparkman/Hillcrest. Her ashes will be laid to peaceful rest in a columbarium and spread in Cabo San Lucas, her favorite place to travel with her family. We have created a donation page for those interested to send funding to the Genesis Women's Shelter in Dallas Texas, which was a charity that Marni was passionate about. We genuinely hope you join us by donating to this incredible local program in loving memory of her. Here is the link:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marnibenson?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_transactional_--_page_launched_--_campaign&utm_content=3944b199-3056-4fef-97bc-d172452fb0d3&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1645651588730

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Benson family.