Joe Mastalir
Like so many other members of Council 10243, Joe must deal with an extremely busy schedule. When he showed up for the interview for this article at a time when most people in our area were enjoying breakfast, it had been such a busy time for him that he didn’t know if he should have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yet, unlike many of the men who become a part of the Council, Joe had plenty of exposure to the Knights before becoming one himself, and he remembers his father’s involvement in the work of the Knights. Joe recalls becoming a part of the Knights around 1973, but because of a busy schedule he found it difficult to attend many of the meetings of the Council or share in the activities. He believes many things in life seem to go in cycles--he fell away from the fraternity, but when Council 10243 started functioning he felt it was the right time to get involved again.
Joe is one of the many members of Council 10243 whose involvement seems to center around food--he has taken part in many of the activities such as the Younkers warehouse sale, Cub Food stands, booyah sales and other such affairs. His hope for the Council is that some day we might be able to move away from so many fund-raisers, though he recognizes the fraternity that comes from working together for a common cause. He also appreciates the times that the Council spends on other “quality activity,” such as working with youth. He enjoys and applauds the focus of the Knights and of the Council on youth activities, and has taken part in such activities as the Free Throw competition. Joe believes working with youth is a key element, providing young people with a model of a lifestyle. He enjoys the time he is able to spend involved in activities of the Council, saying “You couldn’t find a better bunch.” He also served the Council as an Officer, and held the position of Advocate from 1994-96.
A member of the Green Bay Police Department for twenty six years now, Joe works as a detective and says the best way to describe an ‘average’ day is a real roller coaster--lots of ups and downs, and always on the go. He has so much paperwork that he usually can’t find the surface of his desk, and he spends a lot of time on interviews and interrogations. One of the positive things about his job is that he has the ability to get out of the office and do some work out on the streets. He doesn’t feel chained to a desk all day.
Joe was born in Kewaunee and grew up in Casco. He came to the St. Bernard area around 1973 and after a time moved to the west side. He returned to the east side in 1988 and has been a part of St. Bernard since then. In addition to his many other activities he did teach in the Religious Education program for five years. He has three children: Tony, who is in California, and Mike and Sherri who are both at the University of Minneapolis. Mike is also a First Degree member of Council 10243. In his “spare” time, Joe enjoys biking, snow skiing, roller blading and horseback riding.
September 1996