Dr. Dennis Eugene Pace

1959 - 2017

Pace, Dr. Dennis Eugene
Dr. Dennis Eugene Pace, father, son, brother, grandfather, friend, guitar-playing member of the band, athlete, soccer coach and Doctor of Optometry, died on October 20, 2017 after a prolonged illness. Dennis, born in Phoenix, Arizona on February 17, 1959, is survived by: his parents, Ralph and Naomi Pace, his children Isabel Lorton (Adam, Madeline and Andrew Dennis) and Dakota Easlick; and his siblings, Lynn Blake (Peter), and Dean Pace, (Barbara). He was a true friend to many in Beulah, Michigan and environs where he lived for the past 30 years. A devoted father, he shepherded his children with love and integrity. In 1981 he received an AB in Economics from UC Berkeley, and later, a teaching degree from CSU Chico. He graduated from Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University and practiced in Beulah and Traverse City. He practiced optometry for twenty years and was a member of several missions to Haiti devoted to helping those less fortunate with vision problems. Prior to optometry, He taught for Head Start, teaching the children of migrant farmworkers to speak English by having them sing along with him while he played guitar. Committed to his community, he helped run the youth soccer league in Beulah, long after his own kids had departed for college. He was a Trustee and past President of the Darcy Library of Beulah and his fundraising contributed to a much needed new building. Dennis stood 6'4" and one of his few regrets was that he did not grow until his late teens. A letterman on his tennis team in high school, he played tennis the rest of his life; however, he loved to play basketball, and pursued it with passion well into his 40's. At the U.C. Berkeley gym or on the courts of Beulah or Venice Beach, California he held his own with pro athletes, former high school all-stars and college players. An avid hang-glider in his twenties, he once flew off the White Mountains of California overlooking the Eastern Sierra, and caught an updraft to 18,000 feet in a primitive craft seemingly made of aluminum lawn chair tubing and colored Mylar. Dennis had a far-reaching intelligence and continued to learn and do throughout his life. He read science and history avidly and loved a good novel. He knew his way around tools and sailed on Crystal Lake. His mother said she had two sons who did not care much about material things. She was right in the case of Dennis. He lived simply but fully, following his own muse. He did not own a television. His idea of a good time was riding his bike, singing, eating a red chile burro and quaffing the occasional dram of rye. He was self-reliant in the best sense, subsisting on friends, family, curiosity and endeavor. We mourn his passing and feel blessed to celebrate his life. A Memorial Service is at 11 AM on Friday, October 27th, to be held at Christ Church of the Ascension Episcopal. 4015 E. Lincoln Dr. Paradise Valley, AZ 85253. In Beulah, a Memorial Service will be held the weekend of November 11th, further details will be shared within the next week. Those wishing to memorialize him, are requested to send donations to Darcy Library of Beulah, Michigan.