‘Rosie the Riveter,’ who worked at Lawson Army Airfield, dies at age 96

Eva Daniel Ulrich, one of six civilian women selected to work at Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Benning during World War II, died May 13 at Spring Harbor in Columbus. Known as a “Rosie the Riveter,” Ulrich died a day after she turned 96.

Eva Ulrich Chappelle said she will miss her mother’s spirit of encouragement and sense of humor. “She supported people whether it was financial, emotional or academic,” Chappelle said Friday. “It didn’t matter. If anybody needed something, she was there for them.”

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. May 28 at the World War II Company Street Chapel at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. After the service, a happy hour celebration of her life will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in Heritage Hall.

Ulrich was born May 12, 1920, in Roanoke, Ala., to William Alvin Daniel and Bertie Carl Hester. She grew up in LaGrange, Ga., and attended West Georgia College in Carrollton for two years. Her last two years of college were spent at Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, Ga., where she earned a bachelor’s in business and accounting.

After the United States entered WWII, many men were drafted into the military and jobs were left vacant. In 1942, Ulrich was selected as one of six civilians to help open Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Benning. She was head of the stock record section.

While working on the post, she met Richard Ward Ulrich, a young lieutenant. They were married three weeks after their first meeting. He was assigned to the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion that fought in the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. Her father served during the war as a chief petty officer in the Pacific Theater with the Seabees.

Chappelle said her mother talked about the days at Lawson Airfield. “Because it was war time, everybody came together,” she said. “They spent a lot of time with soldiers and boys that were flying the planes. They were the Army Air Corps Girls and guys got to be close. They had a sense of patriotism with each other.”

With many items rationed because of the war, Ulrich had a car and drove people to work.

After the war, Ulrich and her husband traveled around the world with assignments in Japan and Europe. Her husband retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1968, the same year Ulrich opened an accounting business that operated for more than 40 years.

Ulrich was one of the oldest of three Rosie the Riveters in Georgia, said Jonnie Clasen, president of the “Baker’s Dozen Chapter” of the American Rosie the Riveter Association.

“Despite her physical limitations, Eva stayed active in the local Rosie the Riveter Chapter,” Clasen said. “Last year she participated in several Rosie the Riveter functions, including one at Fort Benning in 2015 commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.”

She also supported community organizations. She was president of the Girl Scouts of Concharty Council in Columbus and a member of Altrusa International Inc. In 1988, she was named one of Columbus’ first Women of Achievement.

Other than her daughter, survivors include a son, Richard Ward Ulrich Jr. of Florence, Ore.; and a host of grandchildren, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may go to the National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus, GA; Columbus Hospice, 7020 Moon Road, Columbus, GA; and the University of West Georgia, Frank Pritchett, 1601 Maple St., Carrollton, GA.

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 7:29 PM with the headline "‘Rosie the Riveter,’ who worked at Lawson Army Airfield, dies at age 96."