Obituary of Leena Arja Marjatta Bennett

Leena Arja Marjatta Bennett, a talented life long artist, passed away unexpectedly December 16, 2020. Born in Helsinki, Finland in 1937 to Hugo Georg and Ruth Raitis Paiva Valve. Eldest daughter of five, she is survived by her sisters Riitta Valve and Marion von Etter and her brothers Peter Schwinn and Sebastian von Etter, their families and her finnish cousins. 

She started a family of her own in Finland with Matti A. Jokinen and later completed her family with Peter G. Bennett. She is survived by three biological children; Jaana Aalto Bennett of Wellington, Colorado, Jarkko Bennett and Tarja Inari Bennett-Williams (Paul T. Williams) of Columbia, South Carolina and two stepsons; Dana Ransome Bennett and Roger Williams Bennett (Emma B. Bennett) of Langley, WA.  She is also survived by her four grandsons; John Eric Grubesic Jr. (Katerina M.), Peter Matti Grubesic (Kristin E.) of Colorado, Andrew Maverick Bennett of New York, and Harlan Thomas Williams of Columbia, SC. She also has great grandsons; Reece E. and Collin J. Grubesic and great-granddaughters Taylor M. and Kinley S. Grubesic. She is predeceased by her former husband, Peter G. Bennett, and her sons-in-law John Eric Grubesic Sr. and E. James Sampson Jr. Her many lifelong friendships were like family to her.

Leena began painting in childhood as she studied in Finland, England and France: with Madame Pallet in Cour Maintenon in Cannes, in fine arts in Vapaa Taidekoulu in Helsinki and Mainline Center for the Arts in Bryn Mawr, Pa. She was a passionate soul and lover of the arts, music and literature. She loved storytelling in all these mediums whether she was the storyteller or the audience. Her primary medium was painting and drawing throughout her life. Her portraits, abstracts and lamb paintings grace many walls throughout the world. There was always a brush, pencil or pen at the ready for her endless creative inspirations. Her love of fashion was evident in her expression of her personal style. She had an innate intuitive knowledge of interior design which was imbued in the many places she called home. Her love of all things beautiful inspired her to share her passions to open Finland Design in Bryn Mawr, PA.  Her generous spirit touched  many family and friends and who shared these passions, creating for and collaborating with them leaving her unique aesthetic legacy behind.

We do request that you, your friends and families, celebrate Leena’s life in your own way. If you would like to send flowers, we would prefer something we can plant in a memorial garden at our home. In Memory of Leena Bennett (Woodleys) woodleygardencenter.com.

Family and friends may sign the online guest book at https://southcarolinacremation.com