Joe Morstein, a native of Butte, Mont., is a 1962 graduate of Western Montana College (WMC) with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education with a double major of English and physical education.
He was a four-year football letterman and an all-conference selection in two of those four years. Morstein was labeled a true triple-threat excelling as a running back, punter and punt return specialist.Â
In 1960, Morstein led the NAIA (National Association of Collegiate Athletics) in punting with a 45.7 yard average per punt. That remains the Bulldog school record! His all-conference honors came as a running back, not a punter.
He was a member of the 1961 Montana Collegiate Conference (now Frontier) football championship team. Morstein was elected team captain his senior season.
Off the field, Morstein was active on campus including serving as freshman class president and was an active member of M-Club.
After graduation, he taught three years at Parkview Junior High School in Dillon, Mont., before entering the private sector. He sold insurance for a short time before entering the world of Waste Management. He founded Dillon Disposal with his WMC classmate Jim Flynn. The business is still going strong in Dillon and Beaverhead County.
Morstein is a popular community and campus speaker. He was the featured speaker at the 1997 WMC baccalaureate ceremonies. Over the years, his popularity as a speaker and emcee reached outside the Dillon community.
He is a selfless supporter of the activities and the people in the Dillon community and the Western campus. Morstein was active in Dillon Jaycees and a long-time member of WMC Bulldog Booster Club. Morstein served several terms as a trustee for Barrett Memorial Hospital in Dillon and in 2013 was named Dillonaire of Year by the Dillon Tribune newspaper.
He was a long time basketball and football official in both high school and college. He retired from officiating in 1986. Four years later, Morstein was inducted into Montana Officials Association Hall of Fame.
Morstein is now enjoying retirement.
