My husband and I just learned of Ken’s passing today, almost a year later. He was always so kind and friendly and we wondered when he’d come back to the pharmacy. Our hearts hurt for his family. Rest in peace, Ken. 

March 6, 2022

My first meeting with Ken Marzocchi was in August of 1978. At the time, I had recently moved to Mt. Shasta, California to take a job as the head pharmacist at the Thrifty Drug Store in Mt. Shasta. I was married and had a newborn daughter. We didn’t know anyone in town when we moved there but the staff at the drugstore became out social group.
Ken was still in high School when we first me -  I think he was beginning his Junior year at Mt. Shasta High School. He had a part time job after school, and evenings, as a “box boy” with Thrifty Drugs.  Thrifty Drugs had an ice cream counter so part of Ken’s job was to scoop ice-cream .  His other duties included bagging for the checkers, stocking shelves, picking up and dumping garbage or whatever the management wanted him to do. He was low man on the totem pole but he never complained. He knew how to work – did a good job and he was reliable.  
Ken was a naturally gregarious kid so he was easy to get to know. As time went by, we became well acquainted and good friends. I was about 10 years older than Ken but in many ways, Ken wasn’t the typical teenager. He seemed more mature and also seemed to know what direction he wanted to go in. 
Mt. Shasta was a mill town as were all the neighboring towns. When we first moved to Mt. Shasta, the economy was going great guns. Real Estate was on fire at the time; the mills were all working at capacity and everyone was employed. Ken’s Dad worked at the mill in Weed, Ca. and had done so all of his life. 
Almost over-night, our nation went into an economic down-turn and  country fell into a recession. This hit Mt. Shasta hard. All of the mills in Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas closed. Ken’s dad was laid off. Ken’s mom, Argie, went to work for a clothing store, called Beno’s, that was next door to  Thrifty’s. I suspect, her income and maybe even Ken’s, was what kept the family afloat. Ken’s parents were wonderful people and it had to be hard for Ken’s dad to not be able to participate financially. These were proud people.
But sometimes, when given lemons, you have to make lemonade. Being laid off from work, while hard on the family, also opened up some opportunities for Ken’s dad to go fishing with Ken. Ken’s  dad had a friend who was a caretaker on the Hurst Estate and the caretaker  let him take Ken,  and me, through the estate to fish on areas of McCloud Lake that others couldn’t access.  The fishing was great. They both out-fished me but that’s OK.  Afterall, it’s not really the catching that makes fishing such a great sport. I  think the memories of fishing with them outweighs the catching. And, I think Ken’s memories of fishing with his dad far outweighed everything else.
Sometime, when we had chance, Ken and I would also go down to Lake Siskiyou in the evenings and fish until dusk to catch some trout.  At other times, we would go up into the mountains to the west of  Lake Siskiyou and fish in some small lakes. . Ken knew where to go. He couldn’t drive yet so I drove. 
We also took several day trips over to Tule Lake and tried out hand at duck hunting. We had some luck but we mainly just had a bunch of fun goofing around. 
In retrospect, I am surprised that his mom let him go because she was a real worrier about everything.
Ken was always welcome at our home in Mt. Shasta and often came over to visit or have dinner with us. He fit right in and didn’t mind hanging out with us “old folks”.  We encouraged him to follow his dreams, but especially to get an education so he could do whatever he wanted to do – wherever that may be.
 
We went to his High School Graduation and not long after that, we moved over to Fortuna, CA where I was the head pharmacist at another Thrifty’s store. After graduating from high school, Ken went to college at the University of the Pacific (UOP), my alma mater, and became a pharmacist. I would like to think I had some part in his career path decision but I doubt it.  I know his parents were very proud of his accomplishment in becoming a pharmacist but they are to be commended as well for helping him get through school.  It must have been a big financial obligation to send Ken to UOP but I know they never had a second thought about it. 
I recall one Easter Sunday when we were traveling through Mt. Shasta. We decided to stop in and see if Ken was home and visit with Marino and Argie. Our timing was pretty good because they were just finishing up with their Easter dinner. They asked to stay and have something to eat and we politely declined. Argie was having nothing to do with our decline and before we knew it we were being wined and dined. She even brought out some cured cherries that had enough alcohol in them to get you a little tipsy.  They had lost any color of a cherry years before and after soaking in all that alcohol for so long they truly packed a punch.  
Over the years, Ken and I kept in touch and visited from time to time. After his graduation from college, he started his pharmacy career and eventually became a Division Manager for Thrifty Drugs and was responsible for the north coast area of California. A very big accomplishment. Ken would often come over to the coast while making his rounds to various Thrifty stores so we would see each other when our schedules allowed. Once he stayed at our house because all the motel rooms were taken due to the local college graduation. 
As time went by, Ken met and fell in love with Marlene. She was a beautiful girl and always treated us like we were part of the family.  They always seemed so happy together and Ken  doted on her and their son Spencer.  He was a good man and good father. Their home, “ the  ranch”, was a new challenge for Ken and I asked him several times…”what does an Italian kid from Mt. Shasta know about farming and ranching?”. He’d just laugh. He said he is learning as he goes. I was very impressed with what he learned to do. 

For several years, Ken and I had been buying, and saving up, “preference points” in Wyoming so we could go hunting for Antelope. This year we figured we had enough and were going to apply for tags this coming fall – but fate has intervened. 
This year, at the end of December 2021,  I received a text message from Ken that he had contracted Covid and his exact words were that “it was kicking his butt”. He didn’t say how severe it was so we weren’t overly concerned. He was young – at least younger than us and we just assumed he would get over it in a few days. Maybe he didn’t even know yet how bad it was. About a week later, at about 6:30AM – I think it was a Saturday morning -  my wife received a call from Marlene. We are early risers so the time of the call wasn’t a problem; however, calls at that time of the day usually aren’t good news and this one was really bad. She informed us that Ken was in an induced coma and on a ventilator due to Covid. His prognosis was unknown. We kept in touch with Marlene over the next few weeks and on February 6th, Ken passed away – far to young to leave this world. 

Rest in peace my friend. We, among many, are all going to miss you Ken.

Sincerely, 
John and Janet Winzler, Jr
Eureka, CA 


Ken and I met when we both worked at Owens Healthcare.  He was my friend and a wonderful manager!  Ken was the first manager that taught me that you can be a fun manager and still have a productive team. Ken definitely made working at Owens fun.  He had an infectious laugh and a warm demeanor which made it easy to talk to him about anything.  I will never forget the time he impersonated Richard Simmons.  His entire team was laughing hysterically. There were many fun/productive days at Owens Healthcare when he was my manager. 
Prior to reporting to Ken, I had never experienced a manager quite like him.  He truly cared about developing me into a leader. I could have never gone this far in my career without Ken taking the time to mentor me all those years ago. He saw something in me that no one else bothered to recognize.  He genuinely wanted to help me be successful.  Ken had a way of making everyone on his team feel special, appreciated, and valued.  I was truly blessed to work for such an amazing person.  
Ken and I stayed in touch after we both left Owens Healthcare.  He would come visit me from time to time when I worked at the Lapcorp on Gold Street.  We remained in touch  after I moved to Chandler, AZ in 2005.  I would visit him at the Costco Pharmacy when I was in Redding on business trips.   He would always tell me how proud he was of me and I would express my gratitude to him for developing me into the leader I am today.   Ken was a great man, a wonderful friend, and a fantastic mentor!  Rest in peace, my friend!  Until we meet again!


Ken was a great manager at Costco. That’s how I knew him. As a frequent patron at the Costco Pharmacy counter, Ken’s staff has always been professional yet personable, efficient & quick yet thorough. A good manager & their positive style is reflected through their employees & Ken’s folks have been an image of him & his work ethic. I’d occasionally meet up with Ken at the “pharmacist window” & always appreciated his explanation of my med along with his sense of humor. 

In these memories written here, I truly enjoyed Mr Domke’s telling of the CAMBA story & I’m sorry my family’s path never crossed with Ken’s when I lived next door to George Faris for, oh so many years! 
God bless Ken in heaven, his family, his staff & coworkers, & his many, many friends. 

My favorite memory and story that includes Ken is when Ken, George and myself formed CAMBA when we were all at Owens.
CAMBA stands for Clinicians Against MBA's. 
The three of us would often meet for breakfast at Gold Street Café early in the morning prior to work. We would often discuss how the C-Suite MBA's were running Owens from their ivory tower offices and solely by spread sheets...aka they were out of touch with the employees. These meetings would eventually change to having dinner together at Nello's. At one of our Nello's dinners (while drinking Martini's) we talked about the need to name our group. After brainstorming, and more than one martini, CAMBA was decided on since Owens was no longer run by clinicians but by MBA's. 

Of course after we decided on the name CAMBA we needed to come up with rules to become a member. We decided on 1) Attendence was required at all CAMBA meetings 2) Meetings were to be held at Nello's whenever the founders decided 3) Members must drink martini's 4) Members must smoke cigars ..although I don't remember us ever doing that. 
The hilarious part of all this was when I discovered that one of the paranoid MBA's had been screening our emails ..or at least mine.

Whenever one of us needed a CAMBA meeting we would send an email to the others with the subject "Need a CAMBA Meeting" ... One day the paranoid MBA S.M. was in my office screaming at me about something he didn't like... His last comment to me was "And by the way ...we know about CAMBA !" He said it as a "Gotcha". At first I was perplexed about his comment...then I burst out laughing ..which made him madder. While laughing I told him "So you know about CAMBA ?...you know that you have to drink martini's and smoke cigars ? You know that we meet at Nello's? " The look on his face was priceless. They thought we were unionizing ...he stormed out of my office embarassed. From then on just mentioning CAMBA to each other would just about put us on the floor laughing. I will always cherish knowing Ken ..I will forever miss him. He was a rare blessing and a good soul that will never be replaced in my heart and life.

Ken was a good soul ..an amazing husband, father, son, pharmacist, leader, friend and confidant. But his unwavering number one priority was always Marlene and Spencer. 
I got to know Ken when he joined the management team at Owens as the Director of Retail Services. His office was right across from mine. I would often have to close my office door to muffle his energetic voice and infectious laugh. Ken loved to laugh which always brought a smile to my face. 
Ken was always the first person I would try to find for advice on pharmacy operations and career advice. He was always encouraging and supportive, even when I know he was having difficult times himself.  


Ken was a very dear friend. He was very gracious to the Faris's. He was a family first man always. His love for the outdoors should not go unrecognized. His love to get up early and go outdoors hunting and fishing was a big part of who he was at heart. Times getting ready in the man shed will always be a part of wonderful memories. We worked together, but the times spent on a cold December morning with great conversation is what I will remember about Ken the most.

Memories of Ken (Kenny) Marzocchi, By Jim (Jimmy) Holmquist PART 3
The Latter Years
During the college years we did not have much connection, other than occasional times we ran into each other at the 4th of July parade, or were in Mt. Shasta at the same time visiting our parents.  As in High School, Ken was serious about his studies and was laser focused on becoming a Pharmacist.  When we did connect, he was always excited to share what he was learning in school.
While I am not an avid social media person, we connected occasionally with birthday wishes.  However, in conversations and through his posts on Facebook, I saw that family meant a lot to him.  Posting fun times and outings with Marlene, teaching Spencer to hunt and shoot, and his progress with the property he was developing.  He was dedicated to his profession as a Pharmacist, and caring for his parents in their old age.
I am sure other memories will now come flooding back with this sad news (trick or treating, inner tubing down Quail Hill, sledding on Orem Street and Old McCloud Road, shooting 22s, are ones that just popped in).

Marlene and Spencer, Cheryl and I will be praying for comfort and peace as you grieve the loss of a good man!

Memories of Ken (Kenny) Marzocchi, By Jim (Jimmy) Holmquist PART 2
The Middle Years
Kenny liked to laugh and be silly.  One day we spent the whole day in his room playing Yellow Submarine on his cassette tape player.  We sang it over and over.  We made up games, we climbed the cherry tree in his front yard, sold frozen juice ice cubes in his driveway, and we laughed a lot.
He loved his pets.  Sissy, his big black dog, and Mouzer his cat.  When Sissy died, he got a very active Brittney Spaniel to train as a hunting dog.  Hunting and fishing were also passions of his as he grew.  I was not much of a hunter or fisher, but we did have fun shooting little green army men with BB guns.
In junior high and high school, we would often walk to school together.  When he got his first car, a red Mercury Comet (late 70s I believe).  It has a lot of get up and go.  I had a 63 Mercury Marauder.  We used to play a game where we would go out cruising around on Saturday nights.  If you saw the other person, you had to try to get behind them without them seeing you and flashing your lights.
We both played in the high school band.  He played the clarinet and I played trumpet.  High school was a time where I spent a lot of time playing sports while he spent time studying.  He always got much better grades than I did, but never bragged or teased me about it.  He got teased a bit in high school, but it never seemed to bother him.  He was not a fighter, but never backed down.  Only one time was he provoked to fight.  He accepted.  The kid called him some names and said Ken could throw the first punch.  That was the only punch thrown as he knocked the kid on his back side and that was the end.

Memories of Ken (Kenny) Marzocchi, By Jim (Jimmy) Holmquist PART 1
   Yes, there is a y at the end because everyone in the neighborhood ended in y.  I was Jimmy.  
   Kenny was my first friend outside of my two brothers.  We were born 4 months apart.  He was born on June 6 and I was born in the same hospital on October 6.
   He lived down the street from me, about two blocks away.  I first met Kenny when I was playing in the back yard of another neighbor’s house.  If my memory serves me correctly, it was circa kindergarten.  We heard a voice across the street yelling “I am Superman”.  I climbed up the fence to see a boy my age with a cape shouting towards the fence.  I ran out to say hi and asked his name.  Superman was the answer.  I asked where he lived and he pointed me in the right direction.  I asked if we could play at his house.  When we got there, I asked his mom what his name was.  She said Kenneth John Marzocchi.  I ended up spending a lot of my childhood free time there playing with Kenny.  
   When Ken was a little demanding of his mom (which was not often) she would call him prince.  We had many adventures together.  Climbing Quail Hill, exploring the water tanks, going to Spini’s pond, and riding bikes.  We had a motorized mini bike and Kenny had a Tote Gote mini bike that was slower, but boy could it climb!  However, wanting to get into the faster lane, he ended up getting a mini bike that looked like a miniature motorcycle.
   Kenny was tough!  Not as in mean or rough, he was just solid.  We played tackle football in various neighborhood yards and I never wanted to tackle him when he got up a head of stem.  He would run me over!  He rarely got angry, but when he did, he never wanted to curse, so he made up words to say.  I wish I could remember them now!!

I will miss Ken's larger than life personality. My condolence to Marlene and Spencer. Ken and I sitting in the boat after an evening on the river.



I was so grateful to work with Ken at Costco Pharmacy during my time at Abbott Labs. He was always welcoming and so helpful to my job. His face behind the counter will be greatly missed♥️

Ken was a friend, a dedicated husband and a loving father.....not to mention his numerous skills, talents and interests.  I have witnessed his many emotions and what I remember most was his smiling face and the ability to take whatever was dealt to him.   Ken would ask us to support his wife, Marlene, and his son, Spencer, in this difficult time.  He had such love for his family.

Is there any question as to why these two handsome lads were selected for a yearbook picture??

Ken's 1st year pharmacy student picture.. 

Many of Ken's roommates in the fraternity house in pharmacy school 

Ken's Pharmacy fraternity Kappa Psi group picture

Ken was an incredible man. He loved his family so obviously  and always would gush about his beautiful wife and beloved son.

Having a child with a chronic illness had me as a frequent client of the pharmacy at Costco. Even though Ken was  the boss he would push to the counter to help me in anyway he could. He went above and beyond more times than I can count in contacting insurance, giving me advice and expediting orders for us. His empathy, warmth, sense of humor and confident expertise made all the difference to this mom and family. I imagine that there are many other families who can say the same.

What an incredible loss to all who knew him and all who would continue to come into contact with him in his daily life. The world needs more Kens.
So very sorry  about his loss but am confident that he is resting safely in the arms of Jesus until he hears the words “well done, good and faithful servant”

. Love to you Marlene and Spencer!
Melody (and Michael) Moore

Some wonderful childhood memories of our summer visits to Mount Shasta and our fishing trips to Gumbo Lake.  Missing you cousin!
Joe Cosentino

Our Family met Ken when our boys were in Pre-K together at Redding Christian.  The boys are 15 1/2 and have been friends ever since and we have enjoyed BBQ's and swim parties at Ken and Marlene's.  Ken was such a great host.  You could feel his loving nature from the moment you met him.  Lots of great, fun stories he would tell. Ken will be missed by so many and our family is forever grateful to have known him. 

I am so sorry to hear of Ken's passing. He was my Father's best friend for many years. I have so many memories of time working with Ken, when I was in college. And, time spent with our families. I hope he is talking horses and hunting in Heavan with Tom.

-Kimberly Luchs-Vadnais

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Kenneth John Marzocchi

6 juin 1962 – 5 février 2022

Lawncrest Chapel & Memorial Park

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