In Memoriam – Joe Muscara | Beta Sigma Lambda

Joe’s Obituary

Responses from the brothers

Joe Muscara left the building on his terms, just like he lived. He always came and went on his own schedule and as already noted he never seemed to require a bed.

When he reconnected with us after many years, he was a little tentative. There were a number of us that he had never really connected with during our school years. But he hung in there, continuing to come and go as the spirit moved him and becoming part of the warp and woof that is who we are today. Like me, he learned that the guys that came after us are essentially the same as the guys who drew us into being part of the fraternity Beta Sig in the first place.

He and Johanna were expected at an event and did not make it. I checked in with him via email to make sure he was okay, and he responded that I was not the only person to ask and that it was nice to be part of a group that actually cares about how you are.

Roy had the fraternity yearbook picture, Class of 1972, blown up and gave it to George who gave it to me. I have it on the wall in front of my desk where I sit every morning to take my meds, lol. So, every morning I look at many of your young faces. College was such a brief time in our now long lives, truly a Camelot sort of experience. And yet we have proven that given that connection then we can still come together, be who we are now and celebrate who we were together.

I plan, Lord willing, to attend 2026 Home Coming to celebrate one hundred years of Beta Sig. I challenge each of you to live that damn long and be there also! I also ask each of you to reach out to any brothers you know to spread the word to those not back the fold. One hundred Betans on the 100th anniversary.

God speed Joe Muscara, you will be missed and remembered. It really sucks to lose you.

-Henri Raub

So sad.
None of us knew he was sick and struggling with CA. We’ll all miss his great stories and adventures with horse breeding and his construction business and his banter with all of us at reunions.
My prayers and condolences are with Johanna and his family.
-Rick McQuillan

Sad news indeed. It was great talking horses with Joe. Exchanging knowledge about standard breeds and thoroughbreds. Joe and I spent the couple of days before graduation as the only guys in the dorm. I consider it providence that I ran into him and Johanna at a class reunion and told him about how much fun our reunions were. I know Haas and Lombardo are buying him a “few” rounds at that Ma and Pa’s in the sky.

– Dave Ruff

I always looked forward to seeing Joe. Loved his stories both live and through emails and texts. He was smart and clever with a witty sense of humor. I learned more about horse racing, genetic lineages, and equine drug testing just listening and laughing to his stories.

One could tell listening to Joe’s stories that Johanna, his kids, and grandkids made up the part of his life that was most important to him. (As he told his son Joe in an email below dated 11/25/2022)

Our heartfelt condolences to his wife Johanna, his children, Joe, Matt, and Gina, and his grandchildren Ronan, Neve, Andrew, Vada, and Arlo.

I am thankful to have known Joe and will miss him.

Sadly,

-Todd Welsh

And some old messages from Joe to the brothers

2/1/2025

The Testers model paint brought back memories. I started building balsa model airplanes when I was about nine years old, Drove my bicycle about a mile and a half to the hobby store in Willow Grove. That could get a parent in trouble today. So my parents would say, “Joey go down to the basement and build your airplanes.” What they never said was “open a window “. We did not know how buzzed out we were from the glue and model dope but it sure was fun.

Catholic school did not let you use ball point pens to do the Palmer Penmanship exercises. So in the late 1950’s you had to use a fountain pen that had the ink in a plastic container. When it was empty you took your pen knife (everyone had a pen knife) and cut out the little liquid silver ball. The desks sloped back and you would take your pens and rulers and arrange them so the ball rolled down like a pin ball machine. Everyone did this. The ball was 100% mercury. If this happened today they would demolish the school as a toxic waste site.

My dad had me working half-days on his construction sites by the time I was eight years old. Down in ditches, working around backhoes and bull dozers and climbing ladders in buildings that didn’t have steps yet.

My favorite job was lighting piles of construction trash on fire. If you did the stuff I was doing at that age they would take away your kid and throw you in jail.

Joe Muscara

6-28-2024

I was a smart-ass high school track star in my first month or two at Ursinus. I was running fifty-yard dashes at the track and a grisly looking guy with a bit of a pot belly challenges me to a race. I say sure let’s go and he did. Dennis was ahead by five yards before I even got going and he beat me by a few yards. I will never forget the smile on Dennis’s face. Happy birthday Dennis Sicher.

And oh yea. I learned something that day. Never judge a book by its cover!

Joe Muscara

2/4/2023

Since turning 70 I have become much less of a risk taker. I don’t ride horses anymore. I don’t buy very expensive racehorses. I stopped skiing. I don’t drive as fast. I don’t chase women under fifty. I don’t antagonize Johanna anymore for no reason at all. Like when she’s mad and I play “you’ve lost that loving feeling”, “never my love” or we’ve only just begun” very loud for a very long time on the piano.

Joe

6/13/2023

Johanna came home from the store yesterday and said “Joe I got your Father’s Day gift and I am going to put it on for you tonight. It’s see-through and you will really like it.” So, as I am thinking it’s real good to be me. Johanna says “put your phone on the table and tonight I will put your new protective screen on”.

Joe

8/25/2023

I fly 6 foot remote control airplanes. We have a club in Hatfield with a runway and viewing stands. The sign out front says “Mascaro Field” ground donated by JP Mascaro. I joined about 15 years ago. After a few months I said to a bunch of members “this is a great place. Everybody is so nice to me.” The members broke out laughing saying “why not you gave us the ground “

I was at a wedding last Saturday. After dinner the priest came and sat next to me. He said I want to thank you for all the things you have done for the church. I said father I wish that was me but I am Joseph Glenn. Muscara of Huntingdon Valley, not JP Mascaro of Norristown. Could you still put a good word for me anyway. I was 73 yesterday and I am getting closer to the finish line. Johanna and my three kids and their spouses were at the table. They got a good laugh out of that.

Joe

11/25/2022

Friends,

Had a wonderful thanksgiving with two of my children and 4 of my grandchildren (Matt was in Las Vegas with the Air Force). As I sat there watching four one and two year olds playing very nicely together my youngest son Joe said to me, “Dad, what was your best decade.” I said no doubt about it; it was my seventies. He said, “that’s when you were in college?” I said not the nineteen seventies, my seventies! How could you beat this?

We have a fake deer that you shoot arrows at. Johanna had me set it up on the front yard for Halloween. Thanksgiving morning she says Joe the deer is on the ground, you didn’t set it up too well. So I went out to look at it. It didn’t fall down, our 300 pound resident buck with the huge rack ran it over and gored it to smithereens. Had about fifty puncture marks on it.

Does anyone have a recipe for oyster stew ?

Happy thanksgiving to all of you.

Joe