Joseph "Joe" Misterek

Joseph Misterek, 68, Lincoln, passed away April 23, 2016, at the nursing home in Killdeer, where he had been residing since January. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, April 28, at First Lutheran Church in Bismarck, with Rev. Allen Wagner officiating. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Wednesday, April 27, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:30 pm. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Joe was born in Pierre, SD, along with a twin brother John, the third and fourth of seven children to John and Leone Misterek on April 9, 1948. He grew up with five brothers and one sister. After graduating from Harrold High School in 1966, he and John both went to Brookings to attend South Dakota State University. He was part of ROTC program, and graduated with a degree in Animal Sciences. He joined the Army right after college, and was stationed first in Korea, and later in Alaska. While home on leave, he met his future wife, Barbara Paulson. They corresponded for four years, and were married in June of 1974. They made their home in Fort Wainwright, Alaska for a year before returning home and settling down in Aberdeen, South Dakota. They had a son, Travis, in 1977, and a daughter, Sara, in 1982. When Joe shifted from full-time Army life, he stayed active with the Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot, and also worked as a loan officer with the PCA and the FmHA. Later in his career, he transitioned to carpentry work; although he retired the National Guard in 2003, he maintained an active interest in the military, joining the AMVETS in 2007. He is survived his son, Travis (Misty) Misterek of Minneapolis, MN; his daughter, Sara Misterek of Sioux Falls, SD; granddaughter Ansley Misterek; and siblings, Richard Misterek of Blunt, SD, Kathryn (Dennis) Owens of Fairfield Bay, AR, and Timothy Misterek of Harrold, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents; and by his brothers, Charles, John, and Thomas.