News : Former National Legion Auxiliary President Sherry McLaughlin dies

When Sherry McLaughlin's late husband, Arthur, came back to Mt. Auburn after serving during in the military, he joined the Emil H. Dutler American Legion Post 177. Sherry joined the Post 177 Auxiliary. But, when Sherry joined, said daughter Wendy Riggle, she told them that while she would pay her dues, she did not plan to become an active member of the Auxiliary. Years later, that comment became a standing joke among Mount Auburn Legion and Auxiliary members as Sherry did, indeed bercome very involved. She became a post leader, and later a state leader. In 2001, she was elected at the National President of the Legion Auxiliary -- one of only two Iowa women to serve in that position. "They reminded her a lot of what she had said when she joined," said Riggle on Thursday morning, the day after her mother died of pancreatic cancer. "She taught all of us that volunteerism is very important," said Riggle. "She told us, 'You need to give back to the world; the world has given you so much and you need to give back.'" Sherry received many honors for her years of service; she was named the Vinton Women's Club 2003 woman of the year. Sherry, said her daughter, was a classy lady. "We want the community to know that she was a classy lady," said Riggle. "She was dignified and always positive about everything. Even in the final days, she was not going to linger and make it hard on everyone else. She knew when her time was to go and she did." Sherry has requested that those attending her funeral wear brightly colored clothing. Here funeral will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 8, 2010, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton. Visitation will be held 3-7 p.m. Sunday at the church and an hour before service on Monday. See Sherry's complete obituary HERE. Art McLaughlin's passion for the Legion Arthur McLaughlin was also a lifetime Legion member. His Post 177 peers offered this tribute when they nominated him for Iowa Legionnaire of the Year a few years ago: In 1947, a young Iowa farm boy was selected to go to American Legion Hawkeye Boys State. Later, after returning from service in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, he immediately joined The American Legion Emil H. Dutler Post #177 in Mt. Auburn, Iowa. Perhaps as a sense of gratitude to the Post - or maybe he felt by being a good member that he could repay those members for the honor of attending Boys State - Whatever his reasons, he loved being a ‘blue cap’ Legionnaire and always felt they were the strength of The American Legion. Art McLaughlin was the Post member who took on the ‘taken for granted jobs’ at the Post, doing the extra things to make activities in the Post and the community even better. He did the little repair jobs around the Post and was always checking to make sure everything was going well. He was happiest when he was actively working to support the Post and his rural community. A soft-spoken leader, Art was respected throughout Mt. Auburn and The American Legion because of his ability to talk to people. He was a tireless membership worker who was constantly recruiting members for not only his home Post, but throughout Benton County, the Third District, and Iowa. A humble man, Art would be surprised to think that there is an award named in his honor. He was a quiet leader who did not work for recognition, but volunteered because it was the right thing to do. His wife, Sherry McLaughlin, Past National Auxiliary President had this to say: “I once told someone that The American Legion was Art’s life.” The young Legionnaire replied, “No, The American Legion was his passion.” The Department of Iowa asks that you nominate qualified Legionnaires for this award as a way of saying “Thank You” to a strong ‘blue cap’ Legionnaire.