Orlando Balcarcel

Orlando Balcarcel loved to learn and to teach.

Orlando Vinicio Balcarcel ("Vini", "Mr. B") was born in Guatemala City on July 31, 1960. The oldest of three siblings: Erick and Marvin. His family moved to Lansing, Michigan, in 1966. His father, Domingo, worked at Fisher Body and Motor Wheel for many years, and his mother, Martha, at Sohn Linen. Orlando attended Lansing Schools from elementary school through High School. In middle school, his goal was to be a Park Ranger. In high school, his passions were football, history and science. He graduated from Eastern High School in 1978 and continued to Lansing Community College, where he obtained his general associate degree.

In 1982, he joined the EC-33 (33rd group of volunteers serving the Eastern Caribbean) Peace Corps Volunteers. He completed his two-month training in Jamaica, had the swearing-in ceremony in Barbados, and worked in Dominica, where he taught woodshop and math for two years.

His years in the Peace Corps impacted the way he saw life. He understood the importance of cultural immersion in learning about people's history, stories, foods and traditions. He understood that the way to influence others is for them to learn to see the world in a different light.

Upon his return to Lansing, Michigan, he applied and was accepted to Michigan Technological University, where he graduated as an analytical chemist. However, his inkling of teaching was stronger than life in a lab, so he applied as a visitor teacher. He was hired to teach chemistry at the American School of Guatemala, where he became the High School Assistant Principal years later.

In Guatemala, he met his future wife, Veronica. They married on June 21, 1991, and welcomed their first daughter, Monique Nicholle, in 1992 and their second daughter, Audra Michelle, in 1994. The family moved to Lansing in 1996 when he started working at the Lansing School District (Dwight Rich, Otto Middle School, and Everett High School), where he taught math, chemistry and AP chemistry. He retired in January 2022.

When not teaching, Orlando enjoyed traveling, fishing, gardening and cooking ("Changing the flavor profile"). He used his chemistry skills to replicate special meals he enjoyed while eating out, but since he never wrote down what he did, each meal was "one of a kind".

Orlando died on August 7, 2025, at the age of 65. He is survived by his wife, Veronica, his daughters, Monique Nicholle and Audra Michelle, his mother, Martha Balcarcel, his brothers, Erick Balcarcel (Georgina) and Marvin Balcarcel (Tasha), nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, cousins and extended family members, ex-wife Julie Many, friends and innumerable pupils. He was preceded in death by his father, Domingo de Jesus Balcarcel, stillborn brother "Jr.", his aunts Dora Borrayo and Antonia Borrayo, and grandparents.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, from 4-8 pm, at Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes Lansing Chapel (520 E Mt Hope Ave, Lansing, MI 48910) with time to share stories/anecdotes at 7 p.m., followed by the Rosary prayers with Fr. Vincent Richardson.

Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at St. Thomas Aquinas (955 Alton Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823), at 11 am with Fr. Mike Depcik and Fr. Corey Bilodeau concelebrating. Church visitation will start at 10 am-the interment service will follow at DeepDale Memorial Gardens, 4108 Old Lansing Rd, Lansing, MI 48917.

Memorial Donations may be made to the LCC Fostering Stars Program at https://www.lcc.edu/foundation/starday/fostering-stars.html;

Peace Corps Volunteers Fund at https://www.peacecorps.gov/donate/peace-corps-fund/ or St. John's Deaf Center https://sjdc-oll.org/memorial-donation