Aileen B. Droege

Aileen (Bullard) Droege, died on Jan. 25th, 2010 in Massachusetts General Hospital nine days after emergency cardiac surgery. She was born June 20th,1934 in South Bend, Indiana. She graduated from Saint Marys Academy in 1952 and from Saint Marys College in South Bend in 1956. Her major was English, which reflected perfectly her lifelong love of literature, poetry, theater and reading. She earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Boston College in 1980. In 2004 she earned a Certificate in Gerontology from UMass Boston. Aileen married John Jones Droege on June 8th, 1957. John and Aileen moved to Plymouth with their three children; Sheila, John Patrick, and Mary in 1970. Aileens first job was as a Welcome Wagon Lady who welcomed new arrivals to Plymouth with a basket of local gifts. Some of the people she welcomed became lifelong friends. Aileen was the Southeastern Massachusetts Area Representative for the Girl Scouts from 1972 to 1978. She became the business manager of the Plymouth Area Office of the Mass. Dept. of Social Services and then the regional business manager in Brockton from 1980 to 1987. She went on to direct the Plymouth Community Nurse Association (CURA) from 1988 to 1993. Aileen worked for the Pilgrim Society from 1994 to 2000 as the Associate Director of Development. She was the Pilgrim Societys first professional development staff member and led the very successful Designer Show House program and the Societys first capital campaign. Aileen dedicated much of her time to community organizations and civic engagement. She served on the boards of the Plymouth Public Library, South Shore Community Action Council, and Plymouth Council on Aging. She was a past president of the Plymouth Area League of Women Voters and a member of the Town Master Plan Committee. At the time of her death, she was a Precinct 2 Plymouth Town Meeting Representative. She was a member of Rotary for more than 20 years. She led the Rotary Clubs efforts to collect shoes for Afghanistan children, the collection of winter coats for Head Start boys and girls, and the donation of hundreds of childrens books every holiday season for Head Start. Aileen received many honors and awards including the 2002 Local Heroes Award from the South Shore Community Action Council and the Athena Award given to exceptional local women leaders by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce; most recently Aileen was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow at the Plymouth Rotary Clubs holiday event. She was a life-long devoted Catholic. She taught CCD and later served as a Eucharistic Minister. After retirement, Aileen initiated the establishment of The Plymouth Food Warehouse, a program of the South Shore Community Action Council that collects and distributes food to more than a dozen area food pantries. Started in 2004, The Plymouth Food Pantry has grown exponentially and recently tallied over a million pounds of food received and distributed since its inception. Aileen was very active socially including being an active member of two bridge groups, a book club and a movie club. Aileen was an excellent cook and loved to entertain. She and John hosted beautiful Christmas party for friends every year since 1957. She enjoyed family history and helped research the writings of her Irish grandmother Kate McPhelim Cleary. Above all Aileen was devoted to her family. Aileen is survived by her beloved husband of 52 years, John J. Droege; her daughter Sheila Droege and partner Prudence Ashley; her daughter Mary Droege and husband Dean Boggio and their two children Emma Aileen and Benjamin Charles Boggio; her brother Joel Bullard, his wife Lou Ann and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents Charles Elworthy and Vera Valentine Bullard, and her son John Patrick Droege. A celebration of Aileens life will take place in the spring including a Mass at Saint Peters Catholic Church in Plymouth followed by burial at Vine Hill Cemetery. An announcement of the date will be made later. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Manomet Center for Conservation Science John P. Droege Scholarship Fund. This endowment funds student interns who work in the Manomet bird banding program or other avian projects. Donations can be sent to the John P. Droege Scholarship Fund c/o the Manomet Center for Conservation Science PO Box 1770, Manomet, MA 02345. On-line condolences may be made at richarddavisfuneralhome.com.