At Cibolo House at Morningside at Menger Springs, new resident Joe Macaluso Sr., is already leaving a mark on our Boerne community. Known to all as Colonel Joe, he arrived to Menger Springs just ten days before Mardi Gras, bringing with him the vibrant spirit of his New Orleans roots. With a distinguished background rooted in music, military service, and education, Colonel Joe’s story is as colorful as the notes of jazz that echo through the streets of his hometown.
Colonel Joe was born and bred in New Orleans to a family of Sicilian descent who ran a seafood and poultry market business in Algiers, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The call of music beckoned him from a young age. At ten years old, he picked up the cornet, embarking on a musical odyssey that would span a lifetime. When he was eleven, he was gifted eight free lessons by the famed Werlein’s for Music, the oldest operating music retail store that served Louisiana and the South for almost 150 years until it closed in 2003.
He vividly recounts, “I would walk ten blocks to the ferry and cross the river to Canal Street to go to my lessons, in the music studio on the second floor of a shoe store.” Under the early tutelage of Johnny Wiggs, a famous jazz cornetist and band leader, he honed his craft, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for music and performing professionally even before adulthood. While attending St. Aloysius High School, his talent caught the attention of fellow musicians, and he joined a group of four saxophones and three trumpets led by Rene Louapre, playing Mardi Gras balls around New Orleans.
Yet, Colonel Joe’s journey was not confined to the stage. At eighteen, Colonel Joe joined the Coast Guard for a short while before attending Loyola University where he cultivated his education and leadership skills. Commissioned into the Army during his senior year, he embarked on a vocation of service that spanned decades. Serving in the Korean War marked a significant chapter in his military career, and he spent two decades in service. Although he was discharged in 1953, he stayed in the US Army Reserve for 30 years, eventually earning the rank of full bird colonel.
In addition to his military service, Colonel Joe had a long career in education. He earned a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Administration from The University of Southern Mississippi and served as an educator for generations of students from New Orleans to Michigan, teaching business and music courses at local high schools and universities until he was 85 years old.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Colonel Joe reflected on the joys of his family, the memories of his two beloved wives, and his children and grandchildren. After a lifetime of memories and music in New Orleans, Colonel Joe made the move to Boerne, Texas, three years ago. With his son Joseph Macaluso Jr. serving as a Councilman for District 5 and his daughter Christina nearby, Colonel Joe’s legacy continues to thrive in the community he now calls home. Living at Morningside at Menger Springs in the serene beauty of the Hill Country, Colonel Joe continues to savor life’s simple pleasures. From cooking his favorite dishes to playing traditional big band tunes, his spirit remains undimmed, a testament to a life well-lived. During Mardi Gras at Cibolo House, he sat in with the Bayou Street Band, already entertaining residents!
