Dr. Benjamin Marcello, the PI Emeritus of the Montana Cancer Consortium, passed on December 27th. Ben’s involvement in community-based cancer clinical trials dates back to the Cooperative Group Outreach Program (CGOP) and later participated in the CCOPs at the time of the program launch. In 2006, he assumed the role of the PI until 2019. His passionate commitment to research continued through his retirement. He was a humble and kind man who dedicated his life to serving others. He will be deeply missed by all.
Dr. Benjamin Thomas Marchello, known to many of his patients as “Gentle Ben,” passed away on Dec. 27, 2022, from cardiac complications.
He was born on July 7, 1947, to Dr. Albino J. and Virginia Marchello in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from Billings Senior High (proud member, class of 1965), Dartmouth College and the University of Utah School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, and Tucson, Arizona, and his fellowship in Medical Oncology in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, he served two years in the Public Health Service in Bethel, Alaska.
In 1980, he began his solo practice of medicine in Billings, later joining Internal Medicine Associates and finally helping establish the Frontier Cancer Center with his oncology partners. Ben loved being a physician and meeting the challenges of the art and science of medicine. After his retirement in 2015, he continued to participate in clinical oncology research with Montana Cancer Consortium.
He was a model to his family and everyone he met of kindness, generosity, patience, self-discipline and devotion to his Catholic faith. Ben had many interests, including gardening, reading mysteries, coin collecting, hiking in the Beartooths, travel to Italy, T-shirts with funny sayings and Rock and Roll music.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Lou Marchello; a daughter, Elizabeth and her husband Jason Greany of Lafayette, Colorado; a daughter, Julia and her husband Dan Jameyson of Concord, California; a son, Paul Marchello of Missoula; and his precious grandchildren, Gretchen and Leif Korslund of Colorado. Also surviving are his sister Roberta and her husband George Ritcheske of Coppell, Texas; sister-in-law Annie and her husband Tim Newton of Aurora, Colorado; a niece and two nephews; and multiple Marchello cousins.
