Retired Sgt. Maj. Mary Sabourin 85, of Hubert, died Saturday

Pioneer for women in the Marine Corps dies
Retired Sgt. Maj. Mary Sabourin was active in community
October 21, 2008 - 12:15AM
SUZANNE ULBRICH
Mary Sabourin would want her loved ones to celebrate her life, not mourn her death.

"She wanted her life celebrated more than her death. ‘Don't mourn me - celebrate my life,' she would say," said Mary Laskowski, the owner of Book Exchange II.

Retired Sgt. Maj. Mary Amanda Sabourin, 85, of Hubert, died Saturday while she was helping out at Book Exchange II.

"She was a great one - and a great one for volunteering," Laskowski said. "She came in the store often to help me out, whenever I needed her."

She was also an active volunteer for many organizations, including the Women Marines Association and Christmas Cheer.

"She was very active with the (Women Marines Association)," said her friend and co-volunteer Shirley John, who also served in the Marine Corps. "She dedicated her life to the Marine Corps - even when she (retired), through her work with the WMA. She helped the young women who came in - we all tried to mentor them so that they understand the challenges they face as women in the Marine Corps ... She was very good about doing that."

Sabourin enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in February 1945 and was a post exchange clerk at Camp Lejeune at a time when women assumed non-combat roles.

Sabourin told The Daily News in an interview in 2003 she joined the military because she wanted to serve her country.

In 1946 she was discharged. She signed up again in 1949 when women were allowed to serve in regular active-duty forces.

She served in the Korean War in August 1950, and was one of the 2,787-person Women's Reserves mobilized for the first time.

In 1975 she was the only female sergeant major assigned to B Company at Camp Lejeune. She retired in 1976 and became actively involved in many different organizations, including the Women Marines Association.
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