{"id":8798,"date":"2024-11-18T11:22:12","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T18:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pegasusseniorliving.com\/broadway-mesa-village\/?p=8798"},"modified":"2026-01-04T11:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T18:27:09","slug":"mesa-senior-rosie-the-riveter-turns-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pegasusseniorliving.com\/pegasus-landing-of-mesa\/blog\/2024\/11\/18\/mesa-senior-rosie-the-riveter-turns-100\/","title":{"rendered":"Former \u2018Rosie the Riveter\u2019 Mesa Senior Turned 100 with Birthday Bash"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Pegasus Landing of Mesa was excited to celebrate an important milestone: resident Elsie W.\u2019s 100th birthday. The event took place on Tuesday, November 12, at 5:30 p.m. in the dining room at Pegasus Landing of Mesa.<\/p>

\"Pegasus
Elsie celebrated in style with family and friends at Pegasus Landing of Mesa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Local performing arts group, The Kids Next Door, provided entertainment as attendees gathered to celebrate Elsie, a former \u201cRosie the Riveter\u201d who contributed to the World War II home front effort. Pegasus Landing of Mesa also encouraged guests to bring birthday cards for Elsie, with a goal of collecting 300 cards to commemorate her life.<\/p>

Elsie trained at Douglas Aircraft in Chicago, part of what is now O\u2019Hare International Airport, and worked for two and a half years as a riveter on C54 cargo planes. During the war, women on the production line were required to wear pants and keep their hair covered\u2014a routine that Elsie says made wearing dresses feel strange ever since. Standing at just the right height, Elsie was able to fit inside the wings of the planes while her riveting partner worked outside. \u201cIf I didn\u2019t hit the rivet hard enough, they would signal with a knock, and I\u2019d try again,\u201d Elsie recalls. After mastering the skill, she rarely missed.<\/p>

Elsie recalls the day the war ended\u2014she and her coworkers put down their riveting tools and joined the celebrations in the streets. She was later recognized publicly during a screening of a World War II film, where an audience member thanked her, saying he had flown on one of the planes she helped build.<\/p>

\u201cThis celebration was an opportunity to recognize Elsie\u2019s contributions and the impact of her generation,\u201d said Brooke Rogers, Executive Director of Pegasus Landing of Mesa. \u201cWe were so excited to welcome friends, neighbors, and community members to honor her.\u201d<\/p>

Learn more about the amazing residents and their inspiring stories at Pegasus Landing of Mesa.<\/p>

For more information about Pegasus Landing of Mesa or to schedule a tour, please contact our Mesa team<\/a>.<\/h3>

Want to keep looking around our community before contacting us?<\/h3>