Born Mariuccia Benetti on June 1, 1935 in Italy and lived in her beloved city of Venice. Her name was changed to Maruska when she and her sister Nadia and mother Elia immigrated to America at the end of the second world war. She never forgot her Italian heritage and considered herself an Italian American.
Maruska was a strong, beautiful, intelligent and fiercely independent business woman and mother. She was a proud founder of the Italy in America Club and was passionate about teaching the Italian language. Along with her sister, Nadia Hill, Maruska founded the Mayo-Hill School of Modeling in Houston. Maruska was always surrounded by a diverse and loyal group of friends. She was most proud of her children Michelle, Cathy and Mark and even prouder of her grandchildren Jessica Featherston and Lily and Jack Mayo. She is eternally grateful to her loving husband Terry to whom she was married for over 50 years. She is preceded in death by her daughters Cathy and Michelle and her sister Nadia Hill.
