Mary Ann Bennett

Mary Ann Bennett (1942 – 2026)

Beauty, Strength, Grace, and Love.

With hearts full of gratitude and sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Mary Ann Bennett, who took her final breath peacefully and surrounded by family on August 31, 2026, at the age of 83. A woman of immeasurable beauty, strength, and grace, she lived her life to the fullest always displaying love, gratitude, humility, and transparency.

The eldest of three girls, she was born on October 30, 1942, in New York City, NY, to Ralph and Cecelia Ambrosio. Her sisters are Rose Marie Ambrosio and Cecelia Gersdorf. Mary Ann graduated Salutatorian from Dodge Vocational High School in the Bronx, NY in 1960 before working as a professional secretary for a few companies after high school, including Casio Electronics in the World Trade Center. She also worked as a secretary for Phoenix House, a substance abuse treatment and rehab facility in New York, which was her favorite job out of all the companies she worked for.

After graduating high school, she met and married Gerald Bart Emptage in 1962, and together they had two daughters, Deirdre and Tara, and remained married until 1975.

Mary Ann married the love of her life, Roland Bennett, on November 22, 1975. They grew up together in the Bronx, NY where their families lived in the same apartment building for years until life took them different directions before reuniting and falling in love. She always said that she knew and felt that he was the one and made the bold decision to move from New York to Detroit, Michigan to start a life together. She and Roland had three children together: sons, Jevon and Damian, and a daughter, Michal. She poured her heart into creating a warm and loving home, taking deep pride in nurturing her family. She and Roland were married for 46 years up until his death in 2022.

As much as she loved being a Mom, Mary Ann adored being a grandparent. Appropriately called “Nona” (Grandmother in Italian), she treasured spending time with and talking to her grandchildren, telling them of the family history and stories of her youth and of the accomplishments and mistakes she made in her life. She always stressed the importance of loving God and putting Him first, listening to their parents, and being a kind and truthful person.

Mary Ann was a regal beauty, both inside and out. Her smile lit up any room she walked into and instantly lifted the mood of every person she encountered. She loved to laugh, she loved music, and she loved to dance. She never missed a call for help, always showing up for others by giving of her time and whatever resources she had – whether it was for her family, friends, neighbors, church family, or a stranger. She also had a soft spot and deep love for animals, especially cats, dogs, and birds.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Bennett; parents, Ralph and Cecelia Ambrosio and her younger sister, Cecelia Gersdorf.

Mary Ann leaves behind her five children: daughters, Deirdre Sicari (and husband Rudy), Tara Emptage, and Michal Bennett; sons, Jevon Bennett (and wife Lola) and Damian Bennett; five grandchildren: Christopher Hartung, Nicholas Sicari, Jayla DePeiza, Jada Bennett, and Elijah Bennett; sister Rose Marie Ambrosio; brother in law, Klaus Gersdorf; nephew Christopher Gersdorf; and nieces Paula Sklavenitis, Kelley Monfils, and Andrea Gersdorf along with several grandnieces and grandnephews. She also leaves

behind a host of friends and extended family, who loved her dearly and poured into her life in different and impactful ways throughout the years.

Mary Ann’s spirit lives on in those she loved, guided, and met. To know her was to be seen and to be loved. She was, and will always be, someone you can’t forget. She leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, kindness, and truth.