Thomas Marsh Rizzo

Thomas Marsh Rizzo (February 5, 1950–June 1, 2025) was born in Denver, CO, to John and Grace Rizzo. He was the third of four sons, Johnny, Joe, Tom, and Richard. Tom attended North High School in Denver and one year of Metro Community College before joining the Navy at age 19. He received an honorable discharge following boot camp in San Diego and returned to Denver. In Denver, he went through a couple of brief marriages before moving to San Francisco, CA. When he was 26, he relocated to California to attend the San Francisco Art Institute to study painting.

Tom lived in the Bay Area for about 25 years and had a vibrant career as a TV set builder, printmaker, and blueprint drafter. One of his greatest achievements was renovating an old lumber mill in San Francisco into a beautiful live/work space with a wood shop and painting studio. At age 36, he welcomed his daughter, Angie, into the world and did everything in his power to be a good father to her.

Following his time in the Bay Area, he moved with his then-wife to Las Vegas, NV. Tom spent many years renovating the Las Vegas home and even won an award for his xeriscaping (water-conscious landscaping) design in his front yard from the city of Las Vegas. In 2009, Tom picked up his paintbrushes after a multi-year break and enjoyed a period of prolific creativity as he explored his first loves, painting and color. He made many beautiful paintings during that time and was very happy.

In 2015, Tom was hospitalized and diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Although we think it was not Parkinson’s after all, it was the beginning of health struggles that spanned a decade. In 2019, he moved back to Denver to be near family and was able to savor a couple of years with his best friends and brothers, Richard and Joe and thanks to his Denver family, Richard, Joe, Patty, Donna and Paul, and his nieces and family for spending holidays with him. Tom’s sister-in-law, Donna Rizzo, made it her mission to give him the best care and make him comfortable in his final years. He passed quickly on June 1st after enjoying a final smoke on a warm spring night.