Former longtime State Sen. Richard T. Mazza, D-Colchester/Grand Isle resigned last month due to health issue

Former longtime State Sen. Richard T. Mazza, D-Colchester/Grand Isle, who resigned last month due to health issues, died at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester on Saturday. Mazza built a lifelong reputation for honesty, kindness, ethics, humor and philanthropy – often behind the scenes and unknown to many. There are no visiting hours. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Malletts Bay. A celebration of life will be held immediately after at the Miller Building at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction.