Kennewick man with ‘million dollar smile’ killed in motorcycle wreck near Goldendale

Marc Switzer wasn’t an avid motorcycle rider, but he had so much fun on a jaunt with friends over the weekend that he declared he wanted to buy one.

That’s how he was — enthusiastic, full steam ahead, never one to do things halfway.

Switzer “lived life to the fullest,” said his mother, Gloria Switzer. That’s why it’s so hard to believe he’s gone.

The 50-year-old Kennewick man died Saturday in a wreck during that motorcycle trip.

His bike crossed the center line on Glenwood Highway near Goldendale, striking an oncoming vehicle on the driver’s side and then hitting a second vehicle head on, the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office reported.

A memorial service is set for 1 p.m. May 8 at South Hills Church in Kennewick.

Switzer was born and raised in Kennewick. He attended Kennewick High, where he was a sports star.

He played baseball and basketball and he also hit the gridiron under coach Ed Troxel.

“He was a linebacker. No 57,” his mother said.

Switzer also excelled in academics.

“He was a good student” who aced his classes, said Luisa Mazzei, a longtime family friend.

As an adult, Switzer had a varied career, from working behind the bar at Cedars Restaurant and Lounge in Kennewick to opening his own excavation company, Legacy Excavation, with a partner several years back.

He loved his job and was good at it, his mother said.

He also was a devoted family man. He was a loving husband to wife, Michelle, a dedicated father to daughter, Bailey, and a caring stepfather to Brennan, Michael and Rylee, Gloria said.

As a son, “he made me laugh. He made me feel important,” Gloria Switzer said, adding that in his last text message to her, he wrote that he loved her and she was awesome.

Switzer also was a fun and caring friend. Jack Lester Jr., a pal since childhood, said Switzer had “a million dollar smile” and always took the time to check in.

“It didn’t matter if you didn’t see him, he’d make sure you knew he was there,” Lester said, recalling the time he was at a Mötley Crüe concert in Spokane and felt a friendly jab in the ribs.

It was Switzer, with his characteristic grin.

“He’d always go out of his way to make sure to say ‘hi’ to you,” Lester said.

Switzer was a Christian, and his faith was a central part of his life. He attended both South Hills and New Vintage churches.

He loved the Lord and it’s a comfort to know that he now is with God, Gloria Switzer said.

Her son was “the apple of my eye” — a man who touched many lives, she said.

“He was not a proud, haughty man. He was humble, honest, a hard worker, loyal, straight-forward, understanding,” Gloria Switzer said. “He sounds like he wasn’t even human, but it’s the truth.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Kennewick man with ‘million dollar smile’ killed in motorcycle wreck near Goldendale."