David Bruce Mazza

David Bruce Mazza, age 74 of Athens, passed away Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at Starr Regional Nursing Health and Rehabilitation Center in Etowah.
A West Tennessee native and longtime resident of Athens, he was a son of the late Frederick Caesar Mazza,  Mary Estalee Tucker and Perry  Spoone, and was preceded in death by his grandmother who raised him, Delphia Mary "Big Mamma" Tucker Rogers, 1 sister, Teresa Spoone; 1 brother-in-law, Sterling Jennings; 1 niece, Stacy Fields; 1 nephew, Scott Rogers; his daughter-in-law, Danielle Mazza, and the mother of his son, Carlotta Mazza.
A United States Air Force veteran, he served as a bomber mechanic from 1960-1964. He had a life-long love of flying and was a pilot who flew private planes.   He had a career in the savings and loan and insurance businesses in both Memphis and Chattanooga.  He had an entrepreneurial spirit that led him to open seventeen Video Village movie rental stores in the Chattanooga area, which were the first in the city.  He then entered the video and appliance distribution business by opening Video and Appliance Distributors that served the Southeastern United States.  After moving to Athens, he became the founder and broker of Athens Realty and later acquired the Coldwell Banker franchise, which quickly became the top real estate agency in McMinn County. He was a member of Rogers Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors:
1 son and daughter-in-law, Zachary and Shaundra Mazza of Decatur;
5 grandchildren, Alacee (Allie) Mazza, Jayden Mazza, Cameron Mazza, Jaxon Wright, and Conner Mazza.
1 brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Patricia Fields of Jackson;
2 sisters, Jeanie Mazza Kimerer of Dayton, Christine Mazza of Jackson.
4 step-children and spouses,  Steve and Cathy Ashby, Cindy Ashby Stone, Rod Hill, Scott and Jackie Hill all of Chattanooga.
Special friends, Amie Simbeck, Herman Posey, and Ron Duke;
Several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be 12:30 PM Friday, April 5, 2019 at McMinn Memory Gardens with Herman Posey, Tyler Forrest, and Ron Duke conducting the service.  Active Pallbearers will be Herman Posey and Ron  Duke.   The family will receive friends from 11 AM-12 Noon prior to the graveside service at Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home. Memorial Contributions may be mad to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, c/o Memorials Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.   Those unable to attend may send condolences to www.laycockhobbs.com/notices/David-Mazza.  Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home in Athens is in charge of the arrangements