Joseph Gregory Pacheco, age 41 of Cedar Lake, IN passed away on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Chasity “Chaz” Pacheco; children, Brenna JoAnn and Dylan Lloyd Pacheco; parents, Ronald and Victoria Pacheco; brothers, Ronald Victor (Joyce) Pacheco, Dorian Basil (Sari) Pacheco, Matthew Robert Pacheco and Keith Richard Pacheco; aunt, Connie (late Tony) Delli Colli; nieces, Alena and Mikayla Pacheco; nephews, Ronnie and Austin Pacheco; mother-in-law Kathy Wallace; and grandmother-in-law Erma Casselman. Joseph was preceded in death by his grandparents, Basil and Martha Pacheco and Victor and Mabel Delli Colli. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 DIRECTLY at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 8501 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN with a 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial offered by Reverend Michael Yadron and Father Bartlomiej Stankowski, OCD. Visitation will be on Monday, at the church, from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Interment will be private. Officer Joseph Pacheco was sworn in as a member of the Munster Police Department in July 2005 and graduated 5th in his police academy class, where he qualified as a pistol expert. After serving as a member of the Patrol Division for several years, he was assigned as the School Resource Officer at Munster H.S. in January 2009. As School Resource Officer for middle and high schools, Officer Pacheco instructed the 8th grade D.A.R.E. curriculum at Wilbur Wright Middle School, supervised the school crossing guards and served as senior post advisor for the Munster Police Explorers program. He was also a trained evidence technician and was a member of both the departments SWAT team and Honor Guard. Officer Pacheco has received several exemplary service awards and a unit commendation award during his time with the Department, including 2016 Officer of the Year. Officer Pacheco earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Evansville, where he also attended Harlaxton College in Grantham, England, and a Master’s Degree from Calumet College of St. Joseph. In his spare time, Officer Pacheco was an avid runner. Beginning with his first marathon in Chicago 2010, he completed 38 marathons around the country, as well as numerous shorter distance races. He was an active member of the Marathon Maniacs, served on the Nike Pace Team for the Chicago Marathon, ran for the Opportunities Enterprise Marathon Team multiple years, and won the Savage Seven Marathon in Ocala, FL in December 2015. Officer Pacheco assisted in his son’s Cub Scout Troop as an Assistant Leader, was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and enjoyed traveling with his family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Joseph’s name to the Munster Police Explorers Post # 197 and Opportunity Enterprises Valparaiso, IN.