Rodney Scott Bucholtz

After three years of beating the odds, making great memories, and never backing down, Scott Bucholtz passed away peacefully on December 13 at the age of 51. Scott refused to be defined by his cancer diagnosis. Instead, his family and friends knew him as a courageous fighter who attacked his battle with an optimism they couldn’t believe. He lived each day of his journey thankful for the opportunity to spend additional time with his family, and lived his final years with more joy and more love than most people experience in a lifetime. Born in Saint Joseph and raised on Scottdale Road, he always said he lived a “charmed life.” His parents, Bob and Joyce Bucholtz, and brother, Bob Jr., gave him a childhood full of love and fond memories. He was one of the most athletic kids in school, excelled in various sports, and formed a tight-knit group of friends he was close with all the way until the end. Then, on June 10, 1989, his life changed forever when he married the love of his life, Nadia Santaniello. At first intimidated by her large Italian family, the Santaniellos quickly made Scott one of their own. Nadia and Scott had three beautiful children – Zachary, Austin and Bianca – and spent their time as a family exactly as Scott always wanted: together. They ate dinner together every chance they could, took trips whenever it was affordable, and no situation was immune from a sudden outbreak of laughter. They remained together until his last minutes, the kids together at his side, and Nadia holding his hand. Scott’s wife and children were the greatest joys of his life, but his passion – aside from Santaniello’s pizza and his collection of Tigers ballcaps – was playing the drums. From the moment his mom bought him his first drum for Christmas as a young boy, he was hooked. He played his drums loud and proud, from the bars of St. Joe, to the Low country of South Carolina, all the way to his final months with the talented musicians of the Detroit Blues Society. Wherever he is now, there’s no doubt his beat will continue on. Scott Bucholtz is survived by his wife, Nadia; his sons Zachary and Austin and daughter Bianca; his parents Joyce and Robert C. Bucholtz; his brother Robert D. Bucholtz and sister-in-law Laurie Bucholtz; his mother-in-law Marianna Santaniello; his in-laws Santina and Scott Grumbir, Raffaele and Kerri Santaniello and Rosanna Santaniello; his nieces Andrea Grumbir, Natalia Santaniello, Anya Murphy; his nephews Justin Grumbir,Niko Santaniello, and Ethan and Elija Murphy; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Elsie and Adolph Janke; his paternal grandparents Helen and Harold Bucholtz, father-in-law Pasquale Santaniello and his uncle Larry Janke. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 10:00 A.M., Monday December 18, 2017 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Rev. Tom Bird officiating. Friends may visit from 3:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M., Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the family in care of Nadia Bucholtz for a college fund for the children. Those wishing to share a memory of Scott online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com