Joseph "Joe" Edward La Scala

Joe’s first love was baseball. His dream was to play for the Majors. He was a pitcher and had a great curve and knuckle ball. At 16, he pitched for Lafayette High School in Brooklyn NY. Later he played for the Bensen Hurst Clippers, part of the Coney Island Baseball League. Joe was invited to workout at Yankee Stadium, and then in 1949 he was selected by the NY Giants to tryout at the Polo Grounds Clubhouse. He was finally given a contract to play for the El Paso Texans, #35, part of the AZ-TX League. Joe was known as the Brooklyn Bear and as the Ace of the “Texans” Hill Staff. When he was on the mound, his fans filled the stands. He even struck out Joe Di Maggio!

Although his first love was Baseball, he only had eyes for a young lady he met in ’49 at Lafayette High School, Josephine “Josie” Banco. Being homesick and missing Josie, he left the Texans in 1952. In 1954 Joe and Josie were married. On May 23, 2014, they celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary.

He went to the Police Academy to become a Peace Officer for the World's Fair in New York City in the early 60's. Joe was the personal escort for Cardinal Spellman and Jacqueline Kennedy. He took the First Lady to the Moroccan Pavilion where they had lunch together. The First Lady was so impressed with Joe, she requested he join the Secret Service. Unfortunately he missed the age cut by one year. Joe was even on duty and met the Beatles when they first arrived in the United States.

Joe loved the outdoors and in 1967 he bought a company called Real Landscaping. He had an eye for landscape design, and to say he had a green thumb was an understatement.

The family moved from Long Island, NY to Tempe AZ in July 1976.

In 1979 Joe became a Security Officer for Arizona State’s Police Department, Badge #908. Everyone on Campus, staff and students, all knew him as "Officer Joe".

Joe is survived by his wife, Josie, daughter, Deborah, son, Mark, son-in-law David, daughter-in-law Maria, step-granddaughter Nicole and step-great granddaughter Devin.

A Memorial Service will be held Friday, January 16, 2015 at 2:00pm at Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Joe’s name to the American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/ and select the GIVING tab; or the American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org/ and select the DONATE NOW button.