Kenny Lee Marjerrison
Kenny Lee Marjerrison, 34, passed away on Oct. 25th, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. during a fatal collision outside of Arlee. He was born in Plains, one of three children born to Jerry Marjerrison and Yvonne Roesler on May 9, 1983.
He is survived by his sisters, Vickie Ohler and Tammy Marjerrison; his half-sister Amanda Kolbeck; his parents, Jerry and Yvonne; his wife, Kassy; and his two children, Kolter Lee and Madyson Louise. He also leaves behind his nephew, Garrett Horton; his niece, Demi Horton; and friends who considered him as a part of their own family, too abundant in number to ever list.
Kenny was a second-generation graduate of Plains Schools, of which he attended from kindergarten through 12th grade. There he played football, wrestled and met the love of his life, Kassy French, to whom he was married 10 years. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and an associate’s degree in computer science from the University of Montana in Missoula, during which he became the head coach of the Plains/Hot Springs wrestling program and accepted the position of head technology coordinator for Plains Schools. He would go on to hold this position for 12 years and coach wrestling 15 years.
He would build his home in Camas Prairie, where he and Kassy started growing their family with the addition of Kolter Lee on March 5, 2010 and Madyson Louise on Oct. 29, 2012. Kenny loved to work with his own two hands, both of which were never idle; in addition to his work at the school and in the community, he was passionate about woodworking and operated his own mill many years.
Kenny had little time to spend, and all of it he invested in people. Energy, money and love, all were given generously with no expectation of return. He was a man of principle, a masculine man, and as hardworking as any man there ever was. A loving son, brother, husband, father, friend and mentor, his presence filled the hearts of those around him as much as his booming voice in a gymnasium. He devoted his life to his family, friends and the sport of wrestling. He worked tirelessly to keep the unfunded school sport alive in the towns of Plains and Hot Springs. Many cold, damp nights he spent hunched over in the back of a semi atop a stack of fir boughs, or crouched next to a fire selling Christmas trees on main street. He grew a family through the sport, and no more generous love nor warmer embrace was ever given as was by Coach Marjerrison.
Many young wrestlers remember fondly the words, “Short time!” shouted earnestly from the edge of the mat; now more than ever he has made us realize how short our time really is. There are few things of permanence in this world, but in the short time we were privileged with the life of Kenny, he made a lasting impact on countless men and women, not all of whom called him coach.
His legacy will live on, and family, friends and the entire wrestling community will forever remember him as a man who stepped up to the line without fear, who kept his head up, and wrestled hard to the very end. It seems now he has merely escaped.
A funeral service will be held Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. in the Plains High School gymnasium and is open to the public. An account has been created at First Security Bank called the “Kenny Marjerrison Family Fund” for any monetary support desired to be given to the family.
Additionally, an account has been created at Rocky Mountain Bank called the “Kenny Marjerrison Wrestling Fund” for any monetary support desired to be given toward the Plains/Hot Springs wrestling program.