A Tribute to Dottie – A National Treasure and face of “Rosie the Riveter”

Dorothy Filmore was born at home outside Morgantown, Pa on July 9,1922. As a first grader she walked more than a mile to class in a one room schoolhouse. After that year her family moved to a dairy farm close by in Elverson. She was the oldest of 7, the first 4 were girls. Dottie became “Daddy’s girl” doing all the work a son would do, milking the cows, cleaning out the stalls and shoveling snow. She helped to raise her sisters who later helped their mother with the other duties as Dottie did the outdoor work. She was a good student graduating from Caernarvon High School where she played basketball. The year was 1940 and she married Harry Trate, a local lad who also worked on her family farm part time. He was a machinist at Birdsboro Corporation who had gotten deferred from the war because he was the only man who knew how to operate a particular machine which made valuable parts for the war machines. They lived well during the rationing but Dot kept hearing pleas on the radio for women to work in factories. Harry believed women belonged in the home but he eventually gave in and so she went to work at the Doehler plant outside Pottstown. She operated a punch press cleaning off molded small parts that were needed to build whatever was necessary for the war effort. Having fast hands she did well on piece rate but in 1945 when the men came home the women had to give up their jobs. She became a housewife raising 3 children and when the youngest reached his teens she went back to work on a variety of part time jobs. Upon retirement, Dot and Harry did volunteer work and bought a motorhome, traveling on long explorations throughout the states. Dot has 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. She attributes her longevity to good “country living”, working hard , keeping active with her body and her mind, always learning and maintaining a positive attitude.