Ken Brazzle attended most of the biggest sports events in Tucson during the last 20 or so years that the print version of the Tucson Citizen existed. But you'd never know it unless you read the paper the next day.

Brazz, as most everyone knew him, was one of those blend-into-the-background media types. He was there to cover the story, not be a part of it. He had no biases—except maybe to have those late-summer Tucson Sidewinders games end a little earlier, and without causing him to have to change his lede—and would cover pretty much whatever you wanted him to.

Ken Brazzle passed away last week, right around his 63rd birthday. Word of his death didn't start spreading until the weekend, when former Citizen sports editor Mike Chesnick posted the news and the remembrances from ex-Citizen staffers started flooding in.

Brazz was just finishing up a six-month stint with USA Today when I started my journalism career in Tucson, back in 1995 at the Citizen as a high school football "correspondent." He'd been the prep editor before that, and was glad to pass on guidance and advice for covering high school kids. Though I moved over to the morning daily in 1999, I still saw Brazz all over, and loved every moment of it.

Brazz, a native Texan, left the business when the Citizen folded but remained in Tucson, where among other things he served as a deacon in his church.

A memorial service for Brazzle is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Temple Baptist Church, 1018 E. 31st St.