Alumni Updates
Dale Bjorklund 65′
I graduated with an MA in Music in 1968. I had changed majors and switched from LS &A to the school of music in 1964. I lived in the house from 1962 through 1968.
What a wonderful time that was. I got to know so many Delta Chi brothers over the years. I lived in almost every room in the house. I pledged in the spring of 1962. My friend from high school, Pete Hanson ‘65 introduced me to Delta Chi, where he had already pledged, and we roomed together for a year. Bob Sielski ’64 was my big brother. The thing I remember most vividly while still a pledge was playing the piano in the old drinking room , while we sang many of the favorite Delta Chi drinking songs It didn’t matter that the piano was out of tune, we had a great time.
Barry McGuire ‘65, Mike Maas ‘66, John Hasse ‘68 , and Pete Hanson ‘65 were some of my best singers.
I played tenor sax in the Michigan Marching Band and I got to re-live some of those memories this fall in the alumni band at the Iowa football game. I was appointed Delta Chi song chairman my first year in the house. We got to serenade a number of sororities and dorms when one of our brothers got “pinned”. I was also Chapter D for a while, until I got in trouble with my grades. The Saturday night dances at the house with a live band were great. I attended many pledge formals during my time at Michigan, and went steady with Betsy Longley up until my last year in the house .
I also have fond helping put up the drop ceiling in the dining room, renovating the basement. We put in a new ceiling, re-did the floor and put in new lights.
While in the school of music I played bassoon in the Symphony band and got to perform in many places across the country, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. I conducted the band for one number (“M fanfare”) when we performed in Muskegon (my home town) .
After graduating I got married to Brenda Gee in 1969. We were blessed with two sons David and Jonathan. I taught band in the Fraser, Michigan public Schools until 1974. I became disenchanted with teaching that year and decided to switch careers. I attended the U M Dearborn School of engineering in the summer of that year. In the spring of 1976 I received a bachelors degree in Mechanical engineering and went to work for Ford Motor Climate control. On October 22 of that year our first son, David, was born. I worked on nearly all of the climate control components during my years with Ford. (A/C compressors, condensers, evaporators, A/C hoses, A/C and heater instrument panel controls, instruments panel registers, A/C heating and cooling ducts , heater cores, radiators). I also got to work on many car and truck vehicle programs to make sure the A/C, heater, defroster and radiator cooling systems met Ford and U.S Federal standards. and retired in 2003, shortly after Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer. We got to travel a lot until she passed away in 2005. We got to see most of Northern Europe, and had a fabulous trip to Australia and New Zealand . We also got to Hawaii a number of times.
In 2008 I married Judy McGibbon, who had lost her husband to cancer. We live in Farmington Hills and have seven grand children between us. We enjoy traveling together. We went to Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic , Bulgaria two years ago.
I still play bassoon in the Farmington Community Band and tenor sax in a jazz group that performs for the Bloomfield Township Senior Center. Also enjoy singing in the Nardin Park church choir and playing handbells for them. I bought a grand piano when I retired and I play it daily.
Still play golf a couple of times a week and downhill ski with my brother-in-law once a year. I also ride my bicycle with the Farmington bike club most days when it doesn’t snow.
Dale Bjorklund (248) 496-8636