The nearly faded early memories of Victor Masek are of him leading his two younger brothers down a dusty path to a Missouri River channel for fishing.

Neighbors who watched the boys grow recalled how the tallest lad, Victor, was always in the lead. Charles, the second tallest, was in the middle. Fred, with the shortest feet, brought up the rear.

More often than not they trudged along the dirt path in their bare feet. On a hot day their feet felt a sensation.

This experience occurred on the south side of the Missouri River where the nearest Post Office was Fairfax, SD. The nearest stream with geographical identity was Scalp Creek which fed into the Missouri River except during very dry periods. Scalp Creek also was the name of the township and the school district.

The Joe Masek family had moved to a small farm or ranch in this vicinity to somehow recover from the depression and dust storms in Mellette County.

During the summer after their arrival it was a daily trek to the river channel for the three brothers although it was a worry to their parents. Being the strongest, Victor always tossed the baited and heavily-weighted throw line into the water. Charles and Fred made a fishing effort with poles and shorter lines.

Each morning was a time of great expectation as the throw line was pulled in. Did a carp, bullhead, catfish, or sturgeon get caught on a hook? Sometimes nothing. Sometimes a meal for the family. The boys also enjoyed capturing green frogs for the delicacy of their fried legs.

The Masek family moved from the area long before it was covered by backup waters of the Ft. Randall Dam. The three Masek sons continued fishing in various lakes and ponds in their juvenile years. However, this pursuit seemed to play out in favor of other endeavors as adulthood was reached. In later years, Victor obtained a light plane pilots license though the GI Bill of Rights.

Victor's talents leaned heavily toward the construction industry. He flirted with farming but his interest molded toward things that could be built.

At the next family farm near Geddes, Victor seemed to take over, with a few tools, a building near the windmill which might have originally been designed as a chicken house. He practiced minor woodworking and whistled as he worked. His whistle seemed to be working trademark. Victor also played a harmonica during his early years.

The shop building also became a spring and summer bathhouse. It may have been Victor's idea to install a steel barrel filled with water on the roof. The sun heated the steel holding the water. It may have been that cool water had to be added to the liquid contents on an extremely hot day.

Victor was a 1940 graduate of Geddes High School. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) near Fruitdale and Orman Dam in northwestern South Dakota for a year.

The CCC provided a warm bed, clean clothes, hot meals and meaningful work for three million unemployed young men who were victims of the depression.

Enrollees received $30 a month of which $25 was sent back to families. They received medical care, some vocational training and in many cases lives were changed forever.

The men split logs for fence posts, built roads and bridges, planted trees and improved timber stands. From the Orman Dam Camp the CCC men also removed willows from irrigation ditches and trimmed underbrush.

They were housed in long military-style barracks and their beds were Army-type cots. There was a recreation hall with pool and card tables and a supply of reading materials. The camp commander was an Army officer.

It was here that Victor received more exposure in building or creating. After leaving the CCCs, Victor had an interval as a farm hand, mostly in the Vale, SD. area.

Victor was summoned to active duty in the Army on March 21, 1945, near the end of World War II. He served until July 4, 1946. His total service time was nearly 16 months of which 10 months were spent in the Philippines.

His foreign duty was unusual -- an Army GI with a military occupational specialty of ship carpenter. Victor served with an Ocean Towage and Lighterage unit and he advanced rapidly to the rank of technician third grade.

The duty station was a bay where Victor's unit repaired barges and other sea craft. He once was knocked overboard by a crane. In spite of little swimming skill, he rapidly learned to dog paddle his way to the surface and safety.

After discharge, Victor settled at his parents farm for a time and bought a used tractor with the idea of farming. The tractor was a poor buy. It soon spurted a major oil leak. The tractor was returned and so was the money. That was the end of any farming ambition.

Workers were hired at the Ft. Randall Dam project and the Pickstown townsite. Victor was soon hired. He spent several years either building houses in Pickstown or being involved in cement work at the dam powerhouse.

On Aug. 10, 1947, Victor married Mary Ellen Brandsberg at Belle Fourche. Victor met her while she was teaching school in the West River neighborhood where he did farm work prior to military service.

Victor turned to construction work in the Lake Andes area and out of state when the Pickstown-Ft. Randall project began winding down.

The Lake Andes widows, always alert for a handyman, were often on the phone as soon as Victor returned for a weekend from a far-away tiring job. He probably wondered how the widows were so well tipped off after his pickup reached home.

Victor became employed by, Risor, a Wisner, NE., Contractor and his work took him to sites as far away as Marshalltown and Harlan, Iowa. Victor also worked on building many filling stations in Nebraska.

In 1969, the family now consisting of Victor, Mary, and six children moved to Wisner. He worked for the contractor for 11 years and then became independent. Victor quit Risor when a promised paid vacation didn't happen. By this time Victor had acquired skills as a carpenter, cement finisher, electrician, plumber, and painter. He also had become a workaholic. His work sometimes extended late into the night and into weekends, whatever time he considered needed to make progress. He also had first one and then two shops in Wisner where many spare hours were spent.

He built the family home in Lane Andes, some of it from Pickstown project scraps. Another house was built in Lake Andes for resale as a joint venture between Victor and brother, Fred. One truckload of lumber was purchased in Sioux Falls and some salvage material was used from the school lunch rooms hit by a tornado in 1962. Victor had also constructed the family home in Wisner. Victor was at home with a hammer in his hand or with a circular saw in motion. Again, he was usually whistling as he worked.