Ken had one setting when it came to those he loved and the things he enjoyed – full throttle and no breaks. He lived life on his own terms, his own schedule, and without much fluff. In the same fashion, he passed away on his own terms at the age of 70, while at home with his family by his side on November 10, 2023.

Ken was born in San Francisco in 1953 to his loving parents David and Ann Manzella, who described him as an intelligent boy with a thirst for quick learning and a proclivity for breaking classroom rules. After years as an academic renegade with perfect grades and a largely full detention schedule, he decided to fervently pursue something he would carry in his heart for the rest of life – music. 

A gifted and hard-working jazz trumpet player, Ken spent much of the 1970s studying with the principal trumpet player for the New York Philharmonic, playing lead trumpet in every jazz ensemble he could find, and never once settling for anything less than first chair. With a fire in his belly and music in his heart, he worked two jobs, studied music theory full time in San Rafael, CA and spent years teaching elementary school music to local children. And though music would always live freely in his soul, Ken found himself soon answering a different calling.

In 1978, Ken joined the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. He served on the U.S.S. Peterson, a nimble destroyer, where he stitched up and cared for many fellow sailors as the “Doc” on the ship. After traveling the world and forming lifetime bonds with his crewmates, he ended up stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, a city that, unbeknownst to him at the time, would change the trajectory of his life forever.

In early May of 1980, while on shore leave, Ken met the love of his life, a beautiful restaurant manager with a fabulous sense of humor and an intoxicating southern drawl. After a whirlwind romance and just three days of courtship, Phyllis agreed to marry him and three weeks later they were wed at the Justice of the Peace. For the next 43 years, Phyllis remained by his side, embracing the fervor with which Ken lived. 

In 1983, while stationed back in California at Treasure Island, Ken and Phyllis welcomed their daughter, Jamie, a dark-haired and strong-willed version of her father, possessing a natural penchant for a similarly aggressive throttle as her dad. Now a family man, Ken resigned from the U.S. Navy in 1987 to pursue a different career doing the one thing he seemed to do better than anyone else – talk. 

For the next 30 years, Ken used his unwavering drive, perfect diction, and extensive medical knowledge to work tirelessly supporting his family. He was a top sales manager for several cutting-edge medical companies, eventually retiring as the Vice President of Sales at the age of 65. During these years, Ken also pursued and perfected yet another hobby, woodworking. Hammering and sawing his way to a striking legacy, Ken skillfully built countless pieces of beautiful handmade furniture for his daughter, cherished by Jamie and her family today. In 2010, Ken welcomed perhaps the greatest love of his life, his granddaughter Annabelle, who effortlessly resided in his heart, remaining firmly planted there until his last breath. 

Ken is survived by his mother Ann, his wife Phyllis, daughter Jamie, son-in-law Ben, and granddaughter Annabelle. He’s also survived by his beloved uncles Joe and Frank, and many cousins. For Ken, more was always more, and he will be reverently remembered and forever loved in the same manner in which he lived – full throttle and no breaks.