Dennis Joseph Michaud, of Roslindale, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 2, due to complications from pneumonia. He was surrounded by his loving family. Dennis, who had a keen interest in American and Russian history, was able to find humor in almost anything. A graduate of Ashland High School, where he was voted Most Talkative, Dennis's love of music came to the forefront during his time as the lead singer of the short-lived band The Jagged Edge. He could light up a room, command the attention of any audience, or find a movie quote for almost any situation. After high school, Dennis enlisted in the Army where he spent time in Alaska and brought back many colorful stories from his time as a medic at Fort Meade. He was always close to his siblings and, after his time in the Army, Dennis moved in with his two brothers to an apartment near Kenmore Square. This was an appropriate location for the lifelong Sox fans, but Dennis had plenty to cheer for even during the baseball off-season as he was also an avid Celtics and Bruins fan. His family takes some comfort in the belief that he was never really aware that Marcus Smart had been traded. Dennis graduated from UMass Boston with a Bachelor's degree in History. Later, he went on to get his Masters from UMass Boston in Adult Education. While Dennis and his future wife, Nancy, were both among the hundreds of thousands who marched on Washington in in 1971 to protest the Vietnam War, the two wouldn't meet for a few more years. In 1980-ish, through mutual friends active in the movement for rent-control in Cambridge, Dennis met Nancy.

Bonding through their shared love of hiking in the White Mountains, Dennis and Nancy married in 1983 and would go on to have two children, Nicholas and Sarah. His children were his greatest pride. In them Dennis instilled a love of music, reading, comedy, hiking, and making inside jokes which only he understood. Dennis worked with computers before the phrase "Information Technology" became common. He worked for many years at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health where he loved being in such close proximity to the Arnold Arboretum. Dennis was a proud labor union member who remained committed to political activism, class-consciousness, and inclusion throughout his life.

He was a man who truly enjoyed being alive and this attitude was visible to all who knew and loved him. Dennis took comfort and joy in nature. He found watching approaching storms to be so interesting that he almost always had a weather radar website open in a tab on his browser. Known among some as a "baby whisperer", Dennis loved children and could make almost any child giggle with just a flash of his smile. His skills in this area proved especially useful after the birth of his grandson, Teddy, who has inherited much of Dennis's boundless energy.

Dennis was the son of the late Rachel McLellan Michaud and Eugene Michaud. He is preceded in death by his brother, Gene Michaud, and his sister, Bea Flannery. He leaves behind his wife, Nancy Lorenz of Roslindale, his son and daughter-in-law, Nick Michaud and Madi Rosencrants, and their son, Teddy of Norwood, his daughter, Sarah Michaud of Boston, his sister Debbie Brogan, and husband Micheal Brogan, his brother Jerry Michaud, and wife Sandy Michaud, his sisters-in-law Carol Malthaner, Niraja Lorenz, and Merry Song Caston, and brother-in-law, Ned Lorenz, as well as many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews, all of whom feel quite lucky to have had Dennis in their lives.

A service will be held at 3 PM on July 7 at Forsyth Chapel, Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave., Jamaica Plain.

"In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Appalachian Mountain Club." https://www.outdoors.org/

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