Beloved ‘Rosie the Riveter’ dies at 100

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Jeanne Gibson, who represented the “Rosie the Riveter” campaign during World War II, died Thursday at age 100.

Read more Two Mountain View men charged with drug, firearms offenses

Pacific Historic Parks announced her death in a social media post the same day.

“Our thoughts are with all who knew and loved Jeanne, especially her fellow Rosies and the many friends whose lives she touched,” the Facebook post read.

In 1944, when she was just 18-years-old, Jeanne left her Minnesota home to go and work as a welder in Seattle, helping build destroyers for the war effort.

She often traveled to Hawaii to share her experiences and participate in commemorative events at the Pearl Harbor Memorial with Pacific Historic Parks.

Read more First Alert Forecast: Trade winds returning after Fausto’s passage

“Her warmth, encouragement, and enthusiasm made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of meeting her,” Pacific Historic Parks wrote. “She especially loved encouraging young girls to pursue their dreams and reminding them that they could achieve whatever they set their minds to.”

Gibson and her follow Rosies were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2024 to recognize their contributions to the war effort.

Read more Chinatown building fire causes $125K in damage, classified as accidental