Jeanne Gibson, one of the women who came to symbolize the “Rosie the Riveter” movement during World War II, has died at the age of 100. Her death was announced by Pacific Historic Parks on July 30, following her passing the day before, on July 29, 2026.
Gibson was only 18 years old when she left her home in Minnesota in the summer of 1944 to take a job as a welder at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle.
There, she worked alongside thousands of other women helping to build destroyers for the U.S. Navy at a time when the country desperately needed labor on the home front. She later continued her service with the Army Transportation Corps, stationed in Juneau, Alaska.
After the war ended, Gibson did not slow down. She went on to earn a Ph.D. and spent the next three decades working as an educator. She also pursued a lifelong dream of flying, eventually earning her private pilot’s license.
A Legacy Among the Rosies
Gibson was one of more than six million American women who stepped into wartime jobs traditionally held by men, a shift that helped permanently change attitudes about women in the workforce.
In 2024, she and her fellow Rosies were collectively honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, recognizing their contributions to the nation’s WWII victory.
In her later years, Gibson remained deeply involved in preserving that history.
She was a familiar and beloved presence at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, where she volunteered on what staff called “Rosie Fridays,” greeting visitors and sharing her memories firsthand. She also traveled to Hawaii on multiple occasions to take part in commemorative events and speak with students about her wartime experiences.
Honored Just Days Before Her Passing
In a poignant twist, Gibson was celebrated just days before she died. She received a Wall of Honor banner at the historical park and was recognized during a San Jose Earthquakes halftime ceremony honoring local Bay Area community heroes.
Those who knew Gibson describe her as warm, encouraging, and endlessly enthusiastic, particularly when talking with young girls. She often told them they could accomplish anything they set their minds to, a message rooted in her own remarkable life story.
Pacific Historic Parks, in announcing her death, said their thoughts were with everyone who knew and loved Jeanne, especially her fellow Rosies and the many friends whose lives she touched over the years.
Gibson’s story stands as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices and contributions made by women during one of the most defining periods in American history, and of the importance of passing that legacy on to future generations.
