Eileen Jensen Marucci , 93, of Naples, Maine, passed peacefully on September 1, 2024, at her home on Long Lake surrounded by her loving family. Eileen, aka Ike or Mama, lived a life that included many personal and professional achievements and touched the hearts and souls of many.

Eileen was the daughter of Walter Jensen and Edith Lind, both the children of Ellis Island immigrants from Denmark and Sweden. She was raised in Jersey City, N.J., during the Depression and lost her dad at the age of 5. Her mother raised her and her beloved sister Ruth by herself during these hard times, while maintaining a job at the Colgate Palmolive factory — passing along traits of fortitude, perseverance and love to her two girls.

Ike was a member of the Newark Athletic Club Swim Team and competed nationwide in synchronized swimming competitions. She also waitressed her way through college at Saranac Lake Inn in N.Y. and in Lake Hopatcong, N.J. She attended Panzer College in Montclair, N.J. for physical education, where she met her husband Peter Marucci (USMC). Ike and Pete married in 1954 and began their family in East Hanover, N.J. Pete was a physical education teacher/coach at Orange High School, Orange, N.J. (his hometown) and Ike worked as a physical education teacher at Weehauken and Livingston N.J. high schools. She later continued her education into early childhood and opened a nursery school called the Magic Castle.

Ike also spent her summers in Maine working at girls’ camps as head counselor at Camp Somerset in Oakland, Camp Mataponi in Naples and Camp Woodlands in Bridgton. Through her creative and energetic teaching and mentoring, she touched an untold number of lives, many of who fondly remember her influence today.

In 1978, Ike and Pete purchased Colonial Mast Campground in Naples, Maine — and created and passed down a legacy of family camping that has endured for 46 years. She and Pete have been a part of too many families’ memories to count, having provided a beautiful, safe, and fun location for memories to be made. She has been Ike to some, Mama Marucci to many, always room in her life and heart for everyone. She is famous for trying to feed everyone, most notably grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Ike’s greatest wish was to be reunited with her beloved husband Peter, (deceased in 2003). She leaves behind her three children: her daughter Cindy Marucci-Bosley of Hanover, Pa., her husband Roland, grandchildren Benjamin, Matthew, Bryan and Aaron. Her daughter Christine Hamilton of Naples, Maine, her husband Timothy, grandchildren Thomas and Rose. Her son Peter of Naples, his wife Debora and grandchildren Samantha and Nicole. Ike has 10 great-grandchildren.

She also leaves her beloved nephews, Gary Greenfeder and Wayne Greenfeder of N.J.

Family and friends are invited to call 1-3 and 5-7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Road in Casco. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Sept. 9 at the funeral home. Interment will follow at the Forest Hills Cemetery in Bridgton. A celebration of her life will take place at Colonial Mast Campground after the committal service.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Casco/Naples Seniors, P.O. Box 91, Casco, ME would be greatly appreciated. Ike so enjoyed her senior lunches with her friends and scheduled everything else around senior lunch days.

Condolences and tributes may be shared with her family at www.hallfuneralhome.net.