Marie “Mikki” Marcucci Chaffee, who for decades was a prominent local real estate broker, died peacefully March 9. She was 90.
Born in Quincy, the youngest of the five children of Italian immigrants Charles and Mary Marcucci, she attended Quincy High School and later received a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst where she studied English and journalism.
As a school teacher in Connecticut, she married Francis Phenner and started her family. She later moved to Plymouth, MA where she began her career in real estate, becoming a prominent real estate broker. She formed her own company with colleagues, Plymouth Port Realty, which later became Coldwell Banker, Plymouth Port. She also served on the boards of the Historic District Commission, Charter Review Committee, and Plymouth Downtown Harbor Committee. She was also a Town Meeting member, and served as the director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce.
In 1985, she reconnected with her college sweetheart, John B. Chaffee. The couple remained with each other for 35 years until his death in 2020.
She is survived by two children, Michael Phenner of Dover, NH, and Jennifer Cummins (Andrew) of Portsmouth, RI and three stepchildren Lori Eitelbach (Jerry) of Jonestown, TX, Karen Burgan of Tucson, AZ and Thomas Chaffee (Shannon) of Portland, OR. She also leaves four grandchildren: Nicholas Phenner, Nathaniel Phenner, Cara Cummins and Lauren Cummins and six step grandchildren: Kymberly Martin, Adam Burgan, Luke Burgan, Jared Burgan, Spencer Chaffee and Avery Chaffee. In addition, she had six step-great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association.