Helen Marie Hodge Cobb

Helen Cobb AKA Big Mama finally joined her sweetheart in heaven on the morning of July 27, 2020, passing peacefully at her daughter’s home in Pensacola, Florida. Helen Marie was born to Ethel Paulk Hodge and George Milton Hodge on April 24, 1929, in Florala, AL. She is preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband of 51 years, William (Bill) Cobb, Jr., her sister, Dorothy Jean and two infant sisters. She is survived by her daughters Carol Cobb, Kristal Walsh (Bill), grandsons Luke Austin Flanders and Joseph Cole (Hayley) Flanders, three beautiful great-granddaughters, Sadie Rae, Ellie Mae and Emmie Lou, and several adoring nieces and nephews. Helen grew up in the rural town of Florala, AL and often talked of her standard poodle dog, Snowball and walking to school. She had a beautiful voice, loved to sing and often sung on the radio as a young woman. She moved to Pensacola in the 50s and rented a loft apartment close to Barnett Bank downtown where she worked as a teller. Helen met her sweetheart in Florala during a family visit and they were married in Spring of 1963. Helen and Bill made their home in Ferry Pass, Pensacola and Helen quit her job to become a full-time homemaker. The early years were filled with raising kids and summer vacations to Lake Panasoffkee and Panama City Beach. They bought a small lot on the sound side in the 70s, put a mobile home on it and called it Cobb’s Cove. At this special get-away, many years of fishing, crabbing, swimming and watching the barges go by (her favorite thing) created wonderful memories with family. Sports were a big part of her life raising athletes. She and Bill NEVER missed a Woodham Titan game their daughters played and when the grandkids came, baseball, football and soccer games were their world. Helen also loved to travel; she and Bill took many cross-country trips in their RV and went on multiple cruises with good friends. Helen loved a cold beer but blamed it on the doctor ‘who years ago told her to drink one a day to gain weight because she was so skinny’! Big Mama was affectionately nicknamed Hell-on-Wheels due to her spitfire temper that was consistently contradicted by a vivacious, life-loving vigor with which she approached most situations. If there was music, she was dancing, if there was a party, she had better be the center of it! Forever we will hear her say, “Shut up your mouth” and “I’m gonna kick your butt!”. Her terms of ‘endearment’, infectious laugh and evil looks would put the fear of God into anyone. Her chronic pain and dementia dampened her spirits often in later life, but she loved the Lord and her church family and was a member of Olive Baptist for 50 years. Due to COVID-19, a private graveside service will be held at this time but a celebration of Helen’s life will be planned at a later date. We lovingly thank her special caregivers over the past six years at Brookdale of Pensacola, and more recently VITAS Healthcare and her home care team, Jackie, Autumn and Robin. Helen loved flowers but please alternatively make donations to The Alzheimer’s Association or Meals on Wheels of Northwest Florida if you so choose.

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Helen Marie Hodge Cobb

April 24, 1929 - July 27, 2020