Mark Randall "Randy" Zamora

On Monday, August 17, 2026, a beautiful light in this world was extinguished, and to make any sense of Mark Randall “Randy” Zamora’s passing is futile. Born February 26, 1969, to Raul and Marina Zamora, who had the privilege of raising this incredibly smart and brilliant soul, Randy displayed his insatiable love of knowledge, positive outlook on life, and love of performing from an early age.

As a youngster, Randy’s talents sprouted in many forms. Whether it was dancing ballet folklórico with his sister at his aunt’s studio, bringing authenticity to his famous one-liner, “Hey Dad, catch,” in his washable suits commercial, performing musical theater with the SALTines, or being an important member of the drum line at MacArthur High School (Class of 1987), Randy was a ham at heart.

Knowing his blood ran burnt orange, Randy was an enthusiastic student at the University of Texas (Class of 1991), where he participated in the UT Jazz Band and was a charter member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Bands were always a lifeline throughout high school and college, but it wasn’t until he was accepted into law school at the University of Houston (Class of 1995) that Randy’s passion for drumming led him to become an active rocker in numerous groups in the Houston band scene. He was a technically accomplished drummer and charismatic performer, but his fellow musicians most appreciated his musical responsiveness and the way his drumming elevated and complemented the people with whom he played.

Music from his time with the band Modulator brought him close to his rock-star dreams: touring the country, opening for several well-known acts, scoring a most-requested album on KTRU, and having music showcased on MTV’s Road Rules/The Real World. While Randy felt his brush with greatness had fallen flat, ever the hard worker with a practical outlook on life, he took a job with the City of Houston as a municipal attorney. Almost thirty years later, Randy’s knowledge, dependability, and dogged determination to find and do what is right ushered in opportunities throughout the City of Houston’s amazing legal department, where he eventually landed as First Assistant City Attorney.

Randy’s humble and generous spirit was known by many and loved by all. To know him was to know that he would leave an imprint on your soul well before you realized how much he actually did. He cherished his friendships and was secure in knowing that time did not define a reentry point or prevent you from picking up where you left off.

Randy was also a devoted husband and father who embraced his family with gigantic love, wicked humor, and immense protection. The birth of his daughter presented his life’s purpose and greatest concerto. No need was too small, no ask too insignificant, no event too minor, and no drumming performance could ever compare to the beat his heart made when she was around.

As a husband, Randy’s support and love were immeasurable. To have someone’s belief in your abilities, faith they have your back, and the security of knowing they will always do their best to be the partner you need to travel through the adventures of life were gifts.

Left behind to survive overwhelming grief are his wife of 20 years, Alicia Nuzzie; his daughter, Evelyn Zamora; his parents, Raul and Marina Zamora of San Antonio; his sisters, Laura Leonard (Steve) and Marcia Ramirez-Waldron (Mike); his nieces, Sarah and Brooke Leonard; his nephews, Sean Leonard, Lorenzo Nuzzie, Derek Wells, and Samuel Skorik; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends; and an entire community of colleagues for whom he would have done anything.

While Randy thought his brush with fame was limited to playing in a band, little did he know his celebrity would extend to so many simply by being who he was in life. He will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be held at Pat H. Foley & Company, 1200 West 34th Street, Houston, Texas 77018, on September 3, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 3600 Brinkman Street , Houston, Texas 77018, on September 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The Rite of Committal will be private in Glenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Randy by spreading his kindness through donations to two organizations dear to the family: HCDVCC and MECA because as Sir Paul McCartney wrote, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”