Michael Dacunzo

Mike Dacunzo, 82, of Orangevale and Carmichael, CA passed on January 29, 2021 after a long illness. He was the loving son of the late Domenico Dacunzo and late Margherita Dacunzo (nee Santoriello) in Buffalo, NY. He was the dear "baby brother" of late Raphael Battaglia (nee Dacunzo), late Maria Luppino (nee Dacunzo), late Carmella Rhodes (nee Dacunzo), late Emiddio Dacunzo, and late Vincent Dacunzo; also survived by many nephews, nieces, great nieces, and great-great nieces across the country, as well as very dear California friends such as Barb and Harold Jones, Dianne Jones, Christine Jones, Ron and Cathy Seaman, Debi Salvino, Cynthia Harrell, Michael Hamby, and Corey Hamby as well as many dozens more. Mike grew up in Buffalo, NY and attended Hutchinson Tech High school and the University of Buffalo where he graduated as an Industrial Engineer. In the early 1960s, Mike went to work for the federal government in Rome, NY where he met several of his lifelong friends. In 1964, Mike and some friends accepted job transfers to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California where Mike worked as a civilian engineer and manager for many years. Mike also attended classes at UC Berkeley. In Sacramento in the 1960s, Mike and his friends had a lot of fun times. They hosted house parties at their "mansion", played softball (and cheated at it), and played bingo at the civilian club. They also drank and sang songs at the Carousel Restaurant, which started whenever Mike walked into the bar with the song "Michael row the boat onshore" since Mike was well known there. The friends often teased each other such as the time when Barb and Harold Jones eloped to Reno, Mike and friends went to their apartment and wrapped many of their possessions such as their toaster. They also set the alarms on 12 clocks, and took all the doors off their hinges. Mike's first babysitting assignment was with Barb and Harold's daughter Dianne who was born a month early. Barb and Harold had to go out and shop for a crib, so they asked Mike to babysit Dianne. Since he grew up the "baby brother" of his family and had no prior babysitting experience, he anxiously asked them "What do I do if she wakes up while you're gone?" Barb knew Mike would do just fine. After an early retirement in his late 40s from the Air Force due to a heart attack and Guillain-Barr Syndrome, Mike recovered his health with lots of support from the Jones, the Seamans, and other friends. He then started a second career and worked part time for many years as a tax preparer, and volunteered his time to his community in many ways, including at Kaiser Hospital and as a board member of Safe Credit Union. Starting in the 1990s, Mike started traveling the world with Barb, Harold, and his other friends, visiting places such as Europe, Russia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. Barb was the gifted travel planner, and Mike learned not to ask her too many questions about destinations, and just gave Barb his credit card number. Mike never married and he had no children (which many nieces and great nieces found astounding), but he has family in Oakland, Buffalo, Virginia, Arizona, and Florida. His many friends in the Sacramento area have grown children, who also have their own children, all of whom call him "Uncle Mike" since he loved them all as he did his own family. He was loved by all who met him because he treated everyone with respect and his full attention. You felt seen and heard when you were in Mike's presence. His humor and his laugh were infectious, and he never seemed to take himself too seriously. Once when he was with his friends at a buffet and asked them "where's the beef?" when he noticed there was no hamburger patty between his buns because he forgot to take a hamburger, they laughed and teased him mercilessly. He laughed along with everyone no matter how many times that story was told. His generosity was evident in his gifts and the personal loans he gave people in need. It was especially evident in his 30's when "baby brother" agreed to his older sisters' request to use three weeks of his vacation time in the summer of 1970 to host his three teenage nephews Paul, Jim, and David (14-15 years old) from NY and Florida. He drove them in his beautiful convertible all over California while the rowdy boys tested his bachelor "babysitting" skills. Mike still loved them even after he got angry when the boys' bad behavior got them evicted from a motel in Laguna Beach. Or after their pillow fight in the back seat while riding in his convertible with the top down on Hwy 5 and pillow feathers spilled out into the wind all over the freeway at 70 MPH. Luckily, the Highway Patrol was not around to give Uncle Mike a ticket for littering. Mike lived a full life of love, adventure, and giving of himself while taking little in return. To all lucky enough to know him, he was an inspiration to what humanity at its best can look like in our modern world. Uncle Mike, we will miss you dearly, and we send you our love and blessings on your new adventure! We know you are now at peace, enjoying a plate of pasta wih your mom and dad, and your sisters and brothers. We will never forget you and all that you did for us! If you knew Mike and you would like to join a gathering after COVID of friends and family to honor Mike with more stories of his incredible life, please send an email to mikelifecelebration@gmail.com to receive details. No solicitors, please.