Ira Truitt

Ira R. Truitt, 89, of Milton passed away on Thursday, August 12, 2010 at his home in Milton, DE. Ira was a beloved Sussex Countian with an astonishing career of having served nearly 40 years as a rifleman in the Combined Region 4, VFW Honor Guard, participating as a volunteer in hundreds and hundreds of funerals of veterans receiving Military Honors. Ira was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Phillipines and nearly lost his life in Okinawa when a 600 lb. boulder smashed his foxhole after an artillery hit. Ira had sneaked out of the foxhole to get a cup of coffee, when suddenly the shell hit, triggering a massive rockslide. Ira received several medals, including American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and most importantly the Phillipine Liberation Medal with two bronze stars. He enlisted and served in the Army from 1939 until 1945 achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. He never forgot his obligation to his fellow soldiers, and served in the VFW Honor Guard unit, as a Charter Member, only missing 4 funerals he was called to serve in. Despite battling prostate cancer, bone cancer and diabetes, and living on a fixed income \endash he continued to show up. On one occasion, Ira collapsed with low blood sugar and an ambulance was called just prior to a funeral. Ira was revived, and refused transport to the hospital so he could perform his duty, which he did. He continued to serve, wielding his WW II era rifle up to his death. Ira will be featured in a chapter of a book to be released in July, 2011. He was born on Feb. 6, 1921 (sic, census records show the year to be 1923) to the late James and Mildred Bradford Truitt in Willards, MD. He was married to the love of his life, Margaret Peterson who preceded him in death in 1994, after 54 years of married bliss. Together they had run a chicken farm for Townsend's for 50 years, and Ira was their oldest farmer when he retired. He was a member of the VFW Posts in Millsboro, and Milton and had served as a fundraiser for the VFW Ambulance Squad. He was a member of both Grace United Methodist Church and Zoar United Methodist Church. He was an honorary member of the Indian River Senior Center. He is survived by his daughter, Darlene "Joy" Smith, and her husband Leslie. He is also survived by his brother Melvin, and sisters, Mary Alice Mumford, Janet K. Ketterman, and Loretta. Four grand-children: Tammy, Luray, Kim and Mike; Six great-grand-children: Heather, Tommy, Tina, Timmy, Kyle and Robert; Nine great-great-grand-children: Stacy, Amanda, Mikey, Dominic, Lianna, Matthew, Nathan, Chance and Morgan. He is also survived by many extended family members, and friends and neighbors and all those who he claimed as his fellow comrades in the VFW. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded by his son Marvis, and 3 brothers and 2 sisters.