Archived: Oct 16, 2006

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Junior was caring, resolute

Joe Munz loved people and motorcycles

By Dan Polley

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When Joe Munz had some free time, he loved to ride his motorcycle. He worked all of last summer at the Lodi Canning Company to save up enough money to buy his dream bike.

Munz worked about 80 hours a week over the summer and talked about new the motorcycle he was going to get, said Sarah Weina, a friend and a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student.

Munz, 21, died Tuesday, Oct. 10, when he was shot to death about 8:15 p.m. after making a delivery for Jimmy John’s in the 3200 block of N. Weil St., Milwaukee police said.

Munz, a junior, would often go on rides on his 2006 Yamaha R6 motorcycle, his friends said.

“He kept telling me he was going to take me for a ride on his motorcycle,” Weina said. “He never got around to that.”

Munz had started his career at UWM as an architecture student. There, on his first day of classes, he met Megan Mahoney, a friend who he would later date. That first semester, he also met Weina in one of his architecture classes.

During his tenure at UWM, Munz switched majors, as many undergraduates do.

“Last summer, he didn’t know what to do. He met with business advisers and got friends and liked the classes,” Weina said.

Because of that, Munz switched majors over the summer. Mahoney switched with him, to become business majors.

“He was my best friend at UWM,” Mahoney said.

Munz’ friends said that he had a strong, but quiet, personality.

“He did what he wanted to do,” Weina said. “If someone kept pressuring him, he wouldn’t give in.

“If you were one of his really good friends, he’d pay you visits, he’d talk to you. He was a great guy. If I was having a bad day, he always knew how to cheer me up,” Weina said.

Munz' friends said he was always open to people.

"He was always the one who included everyone, was nice to everyone,” Mahoney said.

“It (Jimmy John’s) was his favorite job he ever had,” Mahoney said. “He loved the people; he loved meeting people he delivered to.”

After hearing about the news on Wednesday, Weina went to the Architecture and Urban Planning building. There, she said, it was quiet.

“No one knew what to do,” she said.

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Megan Mahoney had been friends with classmate Joe Munz since their first day as architecture students at UWM.

Joseph Munz Violence Prevention Scholarship

c/o COA Youth and Family Centers

909 E. North Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Note on your check that it is for the Joseph Munz scholarship.

Preference for the scholarship will be given to a youth who resides in the Riverwest area. Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, Nov. 15.

UWM Memorial

7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16

Spaights Plaza

Includes a candlelight vigil and provides an opportunity for attendees to share their memories

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