Mary Litzenberg

Mary Litzenberg’s induction into the Crossmen Hall of Fame recognizes her decades of dedication to the corps as a marching member, color guard instructor, volunteer, administrator, caregiver, director’s spouse, and lifelong ambassador for the Crossmen spirit.

Mary joined the Crossmen color guard in 1979 as Mary Stacknavitch and marched through the 1982 season. As a performer, she was part of an important era in Crossmen history, helping carry the corps’ identity and performance tradition into the early 1980s. After aging out, Mary immediately gave back to the organization, joining the instructional staff for the 1983 season and later returning from 1985 through 1989.

As a color guard instructor, Mary became a significant part of the guard’s development during years that were both challenging and critical to the corps’ future. The Crossmen of the mid-to-late 1980s operated with limited resources, and survival required everyone involved to go far beyond the boundaries of a single job title. Mary exemplified that spirit. She did not simply teach. She cooked, sewed, cared for members, helped administer the corps when needed, and did whatever had to be done to keep the organization moving forward.

In 1987, when her husband Scott Litzenberg became corps director, Mary joined the special and demanding ranks of director spouses. She carried that role through the 1989 season, and again in 2006, offering support during periods when the needs of the corps extended far beyond rehearsal fields and performance venues. Like so many who have stood beside directors through difficult seasons, Mary’s contribution was constant, personal, and deeply felt.

Mary believed in the Crossmen. She believed the corps was worth every ounce of energy she had to give, and she gave that energy freely. During years when the organization faced real uncertainty, Mary and those who served alongside her helped make sure the Crossmen survived. Their commitment helped carry the corps through a difficult chapter and allowed it to emerge once again as a force in the drum corps world.

Her service to the activity continued in the years that followed. Mary shared her Crossmen spirit as a volunteer with Drum Corps International, working major events in the merchandise booth and as a tabulator. Her drum corps involvement has now spanned four decades, reflecting a lifetime of love for the activity and the people it brings together.

Mary’s legacy is rooted in care, perseverance, and selfless service. She represents the kind of person every corps needs — someone willing to teach, lead, support, comfort, organize, sew, cook, solve problems, and stand beside the members and staff through whatever challenges come their way.

For her years as a Crossmen performer, her leadership as a color guard instructor, her service during some of the corps’ most difficult years, her role as a director’s spouse, her continued volunteer work with DCI, and her lifelong commitment to the spirit and survival of the Crossmen, we proudly honor Mary Litzenberg as a member of the Crossmen Hall of Fame.