Rosie at Crestview Manor Healthcare Center: Celebrating Ms. Marjorie Lee Craven Miles’ Legacy as a Rosie the Riveter

Ahead of National Rosie the Riveter Day, Crestview Manor Healthcare Center in Jane Lew, WV, had the honor of recognizing Ms. Marjorie Lee Craven Miles, a resident at the center, for her service with the United States Maritime Commission and her legacy as a Rosie the Riveter. This special day, celebrated annually on March 21, inspires us to remember the millions of women who worked in factories, shipyards, and defense industries during World War II. Known as Rosie the Riveters, they filled critical labor shortages and became symbols of American courage and empowerment.

The center’s team, fellow residents, and Marjorie’s family gathered for a special party celebrating Marjorie, who was born on June 29, 1924. She graduated from Buckhannon Upshur High School in Buckhannon, WV, at the age of 16, then graduated from the nearby Clarksburg Business College. At age 18, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to work for the U.S. Maritime Commission, where she served from 1942 to 1946. As a woman who entered the industrial workforce during World War II, she is a Rosie the Riveter.

When asked what it was like going from a small town in West Virginia to Washington, Marjorie said, “I stayed with my mother’s cousin, rode a bus from Georgetown to Washington and worked a block from the White House. I was a little nervous because I had never been out of West Virginia before that. It was my first time away from home and I was pretty much on my own. I just couldn’t believe it.”

She started as a typist and was promoted to head of the division and secretary to the administration advisor, an accomplishment she greatly enjoyed during her time with the Maritime Commission. A memory that stands out to Marjorie is the daily commute she had in Washington. She said, “I worked on 12^th street and I would walk a block every day and hope I didn’t get lost.”

In the summer of 2025, Marjorie was also honored at the Emma Scott Garden Club’s Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Statue Dedication Ceremony in Elkins, WV. Marjorie was one of three “Rosies” in attendance, and her name is permanently engraved on the statue. Over 200 people were in attendance and witnessed the statue’s unveiling, guest speakers, a bagpipe performance, presentation of roses, and a laying of the wreath by the WV Daughters of the American Revolution.

Marjorie’s daughter, Crystal Goodwin, shared that Marjorie is “very proud of her recognition.” She also noted the good values that Marjorie passed down to her children and that her experience as a Rosie the Riveter shaped her life by making her more independent.

Marjorie echoed this sentiment. When asked how being a Rosie the Riveter makes her feel, she responded, “important,” with a big smile.

As a Rosie the Riveter, Marjorie’s patriotism paved the way for working women and the impact on women’s rights continues to be felt today. We are honored to have her in our community at Crestview Manor Healthcare Center and thank her for her service.