Dennis Michael Buchalski

Dennis Michael Buchalski, known to many of his friends as “Spike”, died
unexpectedly on Sept 4, 2023, while riding his bike, doing what he loved and
surrounded by friends.

Dennis was born in Detroit on June 2, 1942, the oldest son of Ted and Clara
Buchalski. He was an outstanding athlete from childhood and remained one
throughout his 81 years.

He was a varsity baseball and basketball player at De La Salle Collegiate High
School and was awarded an athletic scholarship to attend the University of
Toledo, where he played Division 1 baseball for four years. He graduated with a
BBA in Industrial Relations.

In 1964, Dennis married his beloved wife, Judith. Two years later, he was
drafted into the army, and in 1968 he was sent to serve in Vietnam.
In 1971, he began a 26-year career in IT with Whirlpool Corporation, which led
Dennis and Judy to settle in Stevensville, MI.

During this time, he ran numerous 10K races and marathons. He ran the ten
miles home from work so often, that he was nicknamed “Dennis…Let’s change
clothes in the conference room…Buchalski.” He loved running along the shoreline
of Lake Michigan with his dog.

After retirement, he worked for several years as an IT consultant, but unable to
stay retired, Dennis started Spike’s Tile Services. As a contractor, he became well
known in Southwestern Michigan for the beauty and quality of his work.
The greatest source of pride in his life were his children. For twenty years, he
attended their concerts, plays, games, matches and ceremonies. However, the
pinnacle of his fatherly pride had to be seeing Ellen receive her medical degree
and witnessing Mike defend his PhD dissertation in wildlife genetics.
Dennis’s athleticism in the second half of his life was devoted to bicycling. Most
years he rode in excess of 5000 miles, testing his mettle on the Bicycle Tour of
Colorado, DALMAC, Ride the Rockies, and 22 RAGBRAIs. It was on his first
RAGBRAI that his well-known sense of humor inspired the name “Whiners” for his
long-time Michigan bicycle club. Since then, the Whiners have grown to include
members from across the globe.

After moving to Sacramento in 2019, he was invited to join the Sacramento
Bike Hikers club. It was while riding like the wind with Bike Hikers friends that he
passed away on Labor Day.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 59 years, Judith, his daughter, Ellen Hayes, his
son-in-law John Hayes and his son Michael Buchalski, as well as his grandchildren,
Phoebe Hayes and Matt Hayes. He also leaves his beloved sisters Patricia Smith, Sandy Ward, and Paula Ballard, his brother David Buchalski and his brother-in-law, Jerry Ballard. Dennis will be missed by his family and his many friends from New England to Michigan to California to Australia.

A visitation with military honors will be held on Saturday, September 16th from
12-4 PM at Sierra View Funeral Chapel, followed immediately by a Celebration of
Life at Milagro Event Center, both in Carmichael, California.