The Cheboygan and Emmet County Chapter of the American Rosie the Riveter Association is once again able to be busy gathering stories of women who served working during World War II.

Members Angie Morthland and Linda Rogers don't just interview the women who actually worked back in the 1940s during the war, sometimes they gather stories from family members. This is how the story of Frances "Fran" Ruiter Fynewever was gleaned. The members had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Brenda Butts, whose mother— Fynewever — worked making piston rings for bombers in Muskegon.

Fynewever was born Dec. 22, 1921. She grew up in Muskegon, the fifth of six children. She loved to play the organ and grand piano but could not read music, she played by ear. She also loved to dance.

In addition to her musical talents, Fynewever was an accomplished seamstress, making most of her own clothing.

Owning his own electrical business, Fynewever's father provided well for the family. He also tuned pianos as a side business. Her mother stayed home tending to the household and six children.

Fynewever attended school in Muskegon and met her husband on a blind date. Frances Ruiter got engaged to Jay Fynewever before he enlisted in the United States Army shortly after Pearl Harbor.

She got a job at Muskegon Piston Ring where they made piston rings for bombers. She worked seven days a week on the assembly line. When she was not working, she enjoyed going to dances with the 4F's (men unable to serve in the war).

Butts recalled Fynewever talking about Black Out Curtains, air raids and rations. She especially did not like that she couldn't get nylon stockings. She and Jay corresponded frequently. Several of the letters Fynewever received had been redacted, as all mail leaving overseas was subject to censure.

Her husband was in five major battles during the war, including the Battle of the Bulge and Omaha Beach in Normandy. Fynewever was fearful he may not come home alive. But shortly after the battles, he did return from the war, and they were married on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, 1945.

Jay Fynewever was a sergeant in the Third Army Division under Gen. George S. Patton. He was awarded a Bronze Star for noticing a different odor from an Army truck. It turned out the truck was a German truck outfitted as American.

He witnessed several casualties in the battles and rarely spoke of them when he returned home. Upon discharge, he had a dragging foot. One of the officers said, "Jay, you have to report that," so, he did. It was on record that he came home with a condition with his foot.

After getting married, Jay and Fran built a house in Muskegon and Jay went to work for Fran's father's electrical business. When Fran's dad had to lay him off, Jay decided to start his own electrical business in Coopersville. Fran continued to work until their first child was born in 1952. After the second child was born, Jay started experiencing balance issues and shortly after their third child was born, Jay was completely paralyzed from the neck down.

At that time, the children were 4, 2 and infant. Fran had to continue with her Rosie spirit and now take care of the three children and a wheelchair bound husband. He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis — also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease — and told he had 18 months to live.

He was 38 years old at that time. The business closed and they went several years with no source of income. The church and Salvation Army helped with basic needs. They were very strong in their faith.

Fran would give Jay physical therapy by wheeling him in a circle around the house with the kids moving his legs up and down.

While the two younger children never remember their dad walking or driving, Butts does. She has memories as young as 4 years old where her dad drove her to a dental appointment. He brought her to the dentist, she got out on her own, went to the dentist. Then, she came out told him how much it was, he gave her the money and she went back and paid. She thinks that was about the last of his driving due to his balance issues.

Fortunately the family was visited by then State Representative Gerald Ford who helped them obtain a pension from the Army. It turns out that because Jay reported that dragging foot they were able to determine that he had Multiple Sclerosis, not ALS, and it was a result of the war. It possibly could have been from the Yellow Fever shot that he had a bad reaction to.

The pension was a godsend for the family and they were able to pay back the charity they had received.

Fran, with much help and support from the children who never really got to be children, cared for Jay until he died at age 70, 32 years after becoming paralyzed. Both Fran and Jay had very positive attitudes, people loved to come visit to be uplifted.

Jay had a great sense of humor and although wheelchair bound, he taught the children many life lessons and how to do things.

Prior to Jay's death in 1988, the family would go on Army reunion trips every other year, but that was the only traveling they did. Fran never flew in an airplane. After Jay passed, Fran did enjoy a trip to the Smoky Mountains, as she had never seen a mountain. She passed in 1998, 10 years after Jay.

Always a hard worker, she kept the Rosie spirit all her life.