MARCH 29, 2023 www.wintertexantimes.com 18 WINTER TEXAN TIMES • Lower Back Pain • Foot/Heel Pain • Muscle Weakness • Dizziness, Vertigo Are You Experiencing: We Have A Genuine Commitment To Your Health Dr. Frank Garza CEO, PT, DPT Dr. Amy Garza COO, PT, DPT, MTC, NPCP LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! 5413 N. 23RD ST. McAllen, TX 78504 SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY! (956) 994-8880 Dr. Laura Saenz, PT, DPT Ruben Alvarado, PTA Joseph Ruiz, PTA Jaqueline Ramirez, PTA • Total Hip Replacement • Total Knee Replacement • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Pain Management • Shoulder Pain • Neck Pain • Post Surgical Procedures • Chronic Pains • Balance and Fall Prevention • Traumatic Brain Injury 1810 E. 8TH ST. Weslaco, TX 78596 went and did it. You didn’t think about it.” Life-changing Phone Call After 18 months of riveting and buckering at the plant, Louise got a phone call from her long-time boyfriend Clarence. He had a special request. He said he could get a leave from the Navy if he was married. She quit her wartime job. Five days later, the two of them exchanged vows in the Swedesburg Evangelical Lutheran Church. Together they left for Rhode Island, where he continued his officer’s training for three months until his ship was ready to be christened in Providence. Then he was off to the Pacific, and she wouldn’t see her husband for another year. Back Home to a Different Life Meanwhile her father and fatherin-law needed her help on their Iowa farms, so she headed back home to become what she described as a “farmhand,” a position she said she would hold for the next 60 years. The war ended. Clarence came home. They worked the farm and had three children: Patricia “Trish,” Stan, and Julia. She helped her family sow and cultivate crops, and then assisted her husband in operating his new project – a grain elevator. According to her family and friends, Louise was much more than a “farmhand,” although she was still driving a tractor well into her 90s. They said she was busy adding value to lives around her. For her community, she founded and became the director of a Swedish American Museum so that early Swedesburg settlers’ tools and experiences could be preserved. For her church, she served as one of the first three women in the Evangelical Lutheran Church Council and became active in its various groups and activities. Along the way, Louise earned state recognition when she was named “Iowan of the Day” at the Iowa State Fair. For enjoyment, she delighted in having visited all 50 states. She also became a world traveler visiting Canada, Mexico, Africa, Europe and making at least nine trips to Sweden. For many, such a lauded life story ROSIE From pg. 4 would have meant satisfying success. But it didn’t stop there for Louise. New Life as a ‘Rosie’ Over 50 years after World War II ended, Dr. Frances Carter of Birmingham, Alabama, established the “American Rosie the Riveter Association” to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of women who had worked doing jobs that most men had done. These women became known as “Rosies*.” Over 10 years ago, Louise became an active Rosie the Riveter Association member. And her life changed course again. In typical Louise fashion, she wasn’t content to be a joiner. She established Iowa’s Rosie chapter and, together with her daughters Patricia and Julia, organized the state’s first convention. According to Patricia, the Rosie group offers her mother support and a unique camaraderie that her father already had. “For women Rosies it was: ‘You do your job and go home’,” she said. In contrast, “For 25 years my dad went to his annual ship’s reunion.” More Recognition Louise continued to promote the Rosie organization that offered her a unique glimpse at the lives of other working women during World War II. In 2016, Louise was featured as the August “Rosie” (Washington State’s chapter calendar). Four years later, she with the other original Rosies, were awarded the United States’ highest civilian honors. According to the Dec. 8, 2020, Smithsonian Magazine, “Forever changing the nation, the women who worked in American factories during [World War II] have collectively been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.” But Louise wasn’t done being recognized for her Rosie role. On Dec. 7, 2022, she joined four other original Rosies as VIP’s at the 81st Pearl Harbor Memorial Day in Honolulu, Hawaii. There they were honored guests in the parade and at a memorial service held on the USS Arizona. Sharing Her Rosie Life Along with her daughter Patricia, Louise related her “Rosie” story to friends and neighbors at Alamo Palms RV Resort in a mid-March afternoon program. After the presentation, residents applauded Louise’s service and tenacity. One by one they complimented her. “She’s a treasure.” “Feisty.” “A positive force.” “Valued.” Those closest to her agreed. “Louise will look for a task that needs to be done and will do anything to fill that need, whether it’s small or large,” resident Martha Smith said. “Louise is our friend, and we are honored to know her.” Many said they are amazed at her life story, … especially the impact 18 months of dedicated work as a teenager has had on the 98-year-old’s life. And for Louise … that time as a teen seems to have made all the difference. * “Rosies” were named after the “Rosie the Riveter” poster. (The “We Can Do It” slogans were meant to encourage women to work harder at what were once men’s jobs.) Just before leaving for her Alamo Palms’ “Rosie” presentation, Louise Unkrich points to her golf cart’s unique license plate. Photo by Dennis Zanetti
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTczOTk5Mg==