Joseph J. Drabot

Joe Drabot died on November 19th, finally succumbing to cancer after a short, but hard fought battle. He was an eternal optimist, upon the diagnosis saying “Ah, they don’t know for sure,” and till the end saying he was OK and that he didn’t want or need any help. Joe was born on April 13, 1928, in Syracuse N.Y. His parents, Walter and Valeria (Nowicki) Drabot were Polish immigrants. His dad died when he was very young, and he and his two brothers and sister were raised by Valeria, who instilled a strong work ethic and sense of family in her children. Joe was immensely proud of his Polish heritage. His favorite athlete was anyone with a Polish name. His favorite time of year was Christmas, especially the traditional Christmas Eve meal, Wigilia. He was close to his siblings, Alex (known to everyone as Cackle), Walter (known to everyone as Bibby) and Mary (known to everyone as Mary). He was Uncle Joe to many nieces and nephews. His love of and pride in his family were passed along to his own family, often reminding his kids that family comes first and to always keep your door open for family. Joe married Theresa (Terry) Walla on August 29, 1959; over 61 years together. They raised three children – Mary (Setton), Larry and Karen (Corrado). He welcomed into his family their spouses, George Setton, Nancy Lescher and Kieran Corrado. He was very proud of his children, and was the proud and loving Papa of Emily and Laura Setton; Annie, Joe, Katie and Grace Drabot; and Victoria, Nick and Jason Corrado. His office and then his bedroom were littered with pictures of his grandkids. He had no favorites, and each one likely has an envelope full of two-dollar bills that he would stuff into their pockets, thinking that he was doing so deftly and secretly. Towards the end, Joe just reminded his kids to “Make sure to take care of your mother.” Dad, don’t worry, we will. Joe was fiercely loyal. He worked for Wilson Sporting Goods for over 50 years, starting when he was 16 years old, working as a stock clerk at its offices in Syracuse. Without a college education, he worked hard and rose through the ranks. In 1967 he was transferred to Toronto, Ontario to head Wilson’s Canadian sales operations. In 1970, he was relocated to Belleville, Ontario to run Wilson’s new golf club manufacturing plant, now with the title of Vice President/General Manager. In 1979, Joe was brought to Wilson’s headquarters in Chicago, holding positions of Director of Government, Latin America and Africa Sales and Director of Far East Sales, finally retiring in 1993 as General Manager of Specialty Sales and Licensing. And, he is the only Wilson employee to ever have a conference room at Wilson’s headquarters named after him. But, never one to sit idly by, upon retirement he started J.J. Drabot Consulting, running a premium sales promotion business until finally closing his doors in 2018. Joe was the consummate salesman. It was often said of him that he could sell ice to a polar bear. Joe traveled the world, in large part through his career with Wilson – probably had more air miles than most pilots. He loved Germany, an affinity that began when he was stationed there as an M.P with the Army. He was honorably discharged in 1954. He didn’t talk much of his time in the Army, but from what he did say, it sounds like he had a lot of fun. Recently discovered old photos seem to bear that out. Joe was a devout Catholic and Christian. He was an active member of St. Theresa Parish in Palatine, Illinois, serving as an usher for many years. He said “hello” to everyone. Everyone knew Joe. Honored with the designation of Sir Knight as a 4th Degree member, Joe was an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He sold a lot of Tootsie Rolls for the Knights, and likely ate quite a few of them, too. Joe liked candy. He had his stashes around the house. He loved peanut brittle and this stuff called ribbon candy – “It’s like eating broken glass.” In his younger days he enjoyed a Canadian Club Manhattan cocktail – it had to be CC. Later, his tastes turned to root beer; it started with A&W, but grew to better, craft brands; his favorites were Berghoff and Potosi. After spending 40 years in Palatine, Joe and Terry moved to Grafton to be closer to their kids. Joe went reluctantly. He remained a Bears fan. He was a Cubs fan until they won the World Series, then changed his allegiance to the White Sox. As Brewers fans can relate, he couldn’t stand Cubs fans any longer. Aside from his family, Joe loved golf. It was his passion. He played well into his 80s, sidelined by sore knees and a sore back. When he couldn’t play, he still caught up each Saturday morning with his group to have coffee and to ride in the cart to watch his buddies play. His mantra: “Drive for show, putt for dough.” He always had a great short game. Terry said she knew their relationship was serious when he would only play 18 holes on Saturdays instead of his usual 27. And, of course, he only hit Wilson clubs and balls. Now, Joe is playing at least 27 holes a day, where the fairways are wide, the greens firm and true, you always get a member’s bounce and the cup looks 3 feet wide. And where, hopefully, one of his scratch-off lottery tickets will be a winner. Joe’s funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Francis Borgia in Cedarburg on Friday, November 27th at 1:30, and he will be laid to rest in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.muellerfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Cancer Society or the Knights of Columbus would be appreciated. Last, Joe’s family wants to thank those at Aurora Home Hospice, including Jill, Jessica, Michelle and Cassandra, who comforted him and his family, especially over his last few days.