Thankful for wonderful women, daughters of Rosie the Riveter

Post #9 – Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation Tells Its Story by Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. No snow here as I live in California. However, I’ve been getting a Thanksgiving flurry anyway. The flurry has been arriving in my email box — requests for my list of what I’m grateful for. 

This reminds me of a Thanksgiving tradition that we created when our children were young and continue even today. Before we start the celebratory meal, each person around the table says what he or she is grateful for. A lovely time for us to reflect on the year, our own lives, our family, and our friends. I remember one year when our eldest son said, “I’m grateful to be employed.” Who would have guessed that 15 years later, the fortunate of us may put that as #1 on our gratitude list.

This year I’m especially grateful for the many women I’ve talked with since the publication of Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation Tells Its Story. I meet lots of women when I give book presentations. Lately, I’ve spoken to AAUW, two Rotary groups, Women in Business, and am preparing for a special December 7, Pearl Harbor-themed talk.

The women I meet tell their own stories. Wendy Bell, a Rosie’s Daughter, stood and told the group that she was the first named in a one of several lawsuits against the Jaycees — back when they refused to admit women as regular members. She was already active with the organization, but couldn’t be a full member. Although another lawsuit made it first to the Supreme Court, Wendy was among the first to cheer when the Court found that the Jaycees had to admit women. 

Some women tell stories of their mothers and grandmothers. One woman shared that her grandmother, a Rosie the Riveter, operated a forklift during WWII. Her boss said, “A woman can’t operate a forklift.” So, she had to train the next man that was hired how to run the forklift. Then, as man after man that she had trained left to join the military, she finally convinced her boss to let her drive the forklift. He did. And she did for the rest of the war.

Other women simply tell me how much my book has meant to them. They tell me that they’ll “never be the same.” The book has caused them to look at their lives, to reflect on their past, and hopefully to better plan for their future. 

Well, you get the point. I’m grateful for both the warm reception that the book has received as well as for the opportunity to connect with so many thoughtful women.

Rosie’s Daughters, of course, couldn’t include what will happen next in the lives of these women. Some stories continue full-speed ahead. Nancy Pelosi, for example, had just been named Speaker of the House shortly before the book manuscript was completed. Her role and what she does is visible to all of us. Other lives have already been cut short. Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop and outspoken proponent of ethical business, fair trade, environmental awareness, animal protection, respect for human rights, died one month before publication of our book.

For most of us, our life stories change and let us find new ways to grow. This morning I received an email from an FW2. The Tennessee newspapers are carrying the story that Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey, a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 1993, is taking senior judge status in January. The Sixth Circuit handles Federal appeals for the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

As one newspaper article said, “Breaking barriers throughout her career, Daughtrey became the first woman appointed to the faculty of Vanderbilt University School of Law and later became the first woman on both the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court.” Senior status for Judge Daughtrey means her work load will be lighter and, as she says, “no more death penalty cases.” 

And in what I think is true FW2 style, she says, “Some folks may think I’m wrapping up my career. I’m not, of course, just taking a breather.” We’ll stay tuned for the changes in Judge Daughtrey’s life and in the lives of so many other Rosie’s Daughters.