Octogenarian named Legion Auxiliary Member of Year for Delaware

Millsboro woman carries on tradition of husband killed in crash

By Glenn Rolfe
Posted 7/22/21

MILLSBORO — On Nov. 26, 2010, Marie Ironside lost her husband of 57 years, Joseph Ironside, in an automobile accident.

For the past decade, she has been a loyal member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 28, based at the Oak Orchard/Riverdale post, near Millsboro.

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Octogenarian named Legion Auxiliary Member of Year for Delaware

Millsboro woman carries on tradition of husband killed in crash

Posted

MILLSBORO — On Nov. 26, 2010, Marie Ironside lost her husband of 57 years, Joseph Ironside, in an automobile accident.

For the past decade, she has been a loyal member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 28, based at the Oak Orchard/Riverdale post, near Millsboro.

In a way, she is carrying the torch for her late husband, who served with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and in the Air National Guard for 26 years.

“My husband was extremely involved in this post. He was killed by a drunk driver — the day after Thanksgiving,” said Ms. Ironside. Afterward, “I decided to join the Legion ... the Auxiliary.”

During the Auxiliary’s July monthly meeting, she was honored as the Department of Delaware’s Auxiliary Member of the Year, which is a statewide award.

It came as a surprise.

“I was honored, for one thing. And, of course, surprised,” said Ms. Ironside, who lives in the Millsboro area. “They had to make sure I got to the meeting the other night. I said to my president, ‘What would you have done if (I) hadn’t shown up?’ She said, ‘I know where you live. I’d come and get you!’”

Now 88, Ms. Ironside remains active in Auxiliary projects and events. Over the past 10 years, she has led the “Merry Band of Coupon Clippers,” which produced almost $2 million in moneysaving coupons shipped around the world to American troops.

Because couponing has changed in the digital world, other projects now dot their list.

“We do not do anything with the coupons because we don’t have the (coupons) to work with,” said Ms. Ironside. “I did that for 10 years. Of course, they had been doing it long before I did it. But it just reached a point where we couldn’t get our supplies. So I had to give that up. But I have my group doing other activities.”

One project looming on the horizon is the Auxiliary’s large 9/11 remembrance, marking 20 years since the terrorist attacks on America. Ms. Ironside and her crew are working to ready sand-weighted bags with battery-powered tealights for the Sept. 11 ceremony — one bag for each of about 3,000 people who perished on 9/11.

“There is about 3,000 of them to do, when we have the supplies,” Ms. Ironside said. “We do all sorts of things. We wrap gifts for the children at Christmastime. We do boxes for the troops.

“I have been involved in quite a few of the activities. I mean, whatever needed to be done, I did it — and enjoyed every moment of it. And I still do,” she added. “I will continue it as long as I am able to. It makes you feel good.”

Post 28 is often her home away from home. And Auxiliary Unit 28 colleagues are like her family.

“I just enjoy everything I do. I enjoy the people. It’s good,” said Ms. Ironside. “I know that if I need help somebody is here. All I have to do is ask. And vice versa. If someone needs me, all they have to do is ask. It works out well.”

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