Page 10 - The Wayne Dispatch

Rosie the Riveters honored by Wayne Historical Society

By Carolyn Marnon workers, … the nurse cadets, USO entertainers,
As a bagpiper played “Amazing Grace,” people and more. America and her allies could not have
attending the dedication of the new Rosie Rose achieved victory in World War II without the Rosie
Garden in front of the Wayne Historical Museum the Riveters and the millions of planes, ... guns
milled around the lawn. At the predetermined and ships that they produced.”
time, Wayne Historical Society Immediate Past Wayne residents Alice and Robert Webb were
President Ann Zimmerman welcomed everyone, thanked for sponsoring each of the bushes in the
including several original Rosies, the Wayne new rose garden. Robert’s mom was a Rosie at
Mayor and several councilpersons and members Willow Run. Also thanked were the Wayne Histor-
of the Wayne Garden Club for attending. ical Society for providing a home for the garden
This past spring, the American Rosie the Riv- and for preserving the legacy of Rosie for future
eter Association (ARRA) planted 100 rose bushes generations and the ARRA planting team. “We
across Michigan. Each rose bush honors a World have proved once again that We Can Do It!” ex-
War II Rosie. “Like it’s namesake, this rose bush claimed Jeannette.
is strong, hardy and beautiful,” said Jeannette Wayne resident Robert Webb’s granddaughters Emily Three original Rosies attended the ceremony.
Gutierrez of the Rose Bush Project team, ARRA- and Skylar celebrate the new Rosie Rose Garden in Anna Timmerman worked at Stinson Aircraft in
Willow Run Chapter, referring to the special roses Wayne making little planes they called grasshop-
called Rosie the Riveter floribunda. Five of these front of the Wayne Historical Museum. pers. Clara Doutly worked at Briggs Manufactur-
rose bushes were planted in the new garden in “Rosie wasn’t just a riveter,” said Jeannette. ing in Detroit on the B-29 bombers. Jane Biestek
front of the Wayne Historical Museum. “Rosie the Riveter is an important figure in our na- worked at the Ford Rouge plant making parts for
“A lot of people don’t know that my grand- tion’s history. She was any woman who stepped the B-24.
mother Wilda Hauser, who was a Wayne resident, up to do a man’s job during World War II while the Each rose bush throughout the state recog-
worked as a riveter at Willow Run also,” Mayor men and boys were off to war. Rosie was a factory- nizes an individual Rosie. Family members and
John Rhaesa told those assembled on June 18. worker, a farmhand, she was an elevator operator friends of a Rosie came up to speak about each of
“And she got hurt early on in her career doing that and a streetcar conductor. She was an office the women the rose bushes were dedicated to at
and wound up after that doing dog tags for the sol- worker, a clerk, even a pro baseball player and a the conclusion of the ceremony.
diers.” This statement was the first that led up to big band musician. As Ann mentioned at the beginning of the pro-
the many ways women helped in the war effort in Rosie the Riveter also represents the many gram, “The roses are full of potential, just like we
the 1940s. American women who volunteered: the Red Cross are.”

10 · July 2019 · The Wayne Dispatch