Real-life ‘Rosie’ turned US Marine moves to Creston

Iowa’s oldest living female U.S. Marine Veteran Elleen Wheatley, 103, moved into EveryStep Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston Jan. 19.

Before moving, Wheatley was honored with a veteran pinning ceremony at Madison County Memorial Hospital in Winterset. U.S. Air Force Veteran Chris Nolte, volunteer coordinator at EveryStep Hospice in Madison, Adair and Clarke counties, said when he learned of Wheatley being the oldest female veteran in Iowa, he began putting together the ceremony, which was held Jan. 18.

“EveryStep really feels that veterans should be honored,” Nolte said.

Wheatley was honored for her service in the presence of family, friends, and EveryStep staff. Those present with Wheatley included Nolte, friend and fellow U.S. Marine Veteran Nick Nicotero, U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant James Meaney, and U.S. Army Veteran Jerry Sieck and U.S. Army Veteran Dr. James Kimball, both relatives of Wheatley.

Nolte said the recognition ceremony and presentation were meaningful.

“It was really cool, because (Meaney) was kneeling down in front of her and holding her hand — and everybody’s in masks, of course — and he said, ‘I want you to know that my wife is a Marine veteran also, and she wanted me to thank you for helping to pave the way for women in the Marines.’ And Elleen said, ‘Well, you tell her thank you for her service. That’s absolutely wonderful and I really appreciate her being a Marine.’ So, I thought that was kind of cool,” he said.

EveryStep’s veteran pinning ceremonies include the awarding of a veteran service flag pin, the presentation of a certificate of recognition, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer of thanks, the singing of “God Bless America,” and a reading of “What is a Veteran?”

“A very, very delightful lady,” Nolte said.

Service

Wheatley served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, enlisting in 1943. Nolte said before that, she was deemed a “Rosie the Riveter.”

According to history.com, Rosie the Riveter was the iconic star of a World War II campaign designed for recruiting women into defense industries during the war. Nicotero said Wheatley did just that.

“She worked at an ammunition plant in Burlington, Iowa, where they made bullets and bombs and all of that stuff,” he said.

But Wheatley decided she wanted to serve her country further — as a U.S. Marine.

“My husband was in the Army, my twin brother was in the Army, and I wanted to do something to help the service people. And I liked the Marine-colored hats,” she said.

After enlisting that summer, she began basic training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Nicotero said she was then stationed at the Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station Mojave in California as a quartermaster for the duration of the war, which ended in 1945.

“She was in supply ... issuing equipment as needed to the troops,” he said.

Wheatley said during her time serving in the Mojave Desert, she worked in an office setting.

“It was fun. ... It was kind of warm sometimes but we had nice barracks. I was in the bookkeeping department. And I was helping do my part, I thought,” she said.

Wheatley said there were several women who worked with her in the office and about 100 to 150 other female Marines working at the station.

“They were all nice girls,” she said.

Nolte said Wheatley was still in California when her husband was discharged after the war, and the pair returned to Iowa. She later gave birth to their son Monte Smith.

Life

After her first husband died in a small plane crash, Wheatley remarried. After her second husband died of a heart attack, Wheatley eventually found love again.

According to EveryStep, “A chance encounter on a flight back to Iowa from Saint Louis brought love back to Elleen.” On the plane, Wheatley met Gerald Wheatley, who passed her contact information on to his father Lester, a recent widower. The pair later married and stayed together 32 years before he passed away in 2015. Nicotero said Smith — Wheatley’s only son — passed away in August 2019. Smith, a U.S. Army veteran from Blue Springs, Missouri, was 72.

Wheatley remained on the farm in Marne until recently and said she enjoyed spending time outdoors. Wheatley has appeared in the news several times, including Omaha’s WOWT 6 News, where she was featured on John Knicely’s “Knicely Done” newscast segment in 2016.

Nicotero said he met Wheatley five years ago when she moved into Salem Lutheran Homes and Rehabilitation Center in Elk Horn to accompany Lester Wheatley who was a resident there.

“How many women would do that — move into a nursing home with their husband?” he said.

Nicotero said he was a volunteer at the facility and served residents, for example, by holding a Veteran of the Month program.

“And one day, I went walking in there, and they said, ‘There’s a 98-year-old Marine woman down the hall with her husband.’ ... And so I said, ‘Well, I’ve got to meet her,’” he said.

Nicotero said he and Wheatley became instant friends.

After Lester Wheatley passed away and Wheatley returned home to Marne, Nicotero said he would come to visit with her and assist her with tasks, eventually becoming her primary caregiver — a role he has continued in for more than four years, until now.

Nicotero said he and Wheatley have inside jokes that they share.

“Someone would hold the door for us as we’re walking out of someplace, and here’s this little old lady with her cane. And I said, ‘You know what — thank you. You just held the door for Iowa’s oldest woman Marine!’ And they’d be like, ‘Oh, woah, that’s pretty cool!’” he said.

Nicotero said in public, they have their own comedy routine.

“We’d be talking some place and they’d say, ‘Oh, you’re in the Marines?’ And she’d say, ‘Yeah. ... I was a corporal and Nick was a sergeant. And he’s always pulling rank on me!’” he said.

Wheatley said Nicotero does a good job looking after her.

“He’s my guardian. He watches over me,” she said.

Honors to come

“It’s just so cool that she’s Iowa’s oldest woman Marine. And possibly now, America’s oldest woman Marine,” Nicotero said.

Nicotero said the woman who held the spot passed away at the age of 107. According to ABC News, U.S. Marine Veteran Dorothy Schmidt Cole of North Carolina died on Jan. 7.

Nolte said EveryStep is currently in the process of confirming Wheatley’s national status.

“In attempting to determine if Elleen may in fact be one of the oldest living Marines in the nation, I’ve been in touch with the Marine’s Public Affairs Office in the Pentagon. And they’ve taken all the information that we provided and have sent it up the chain to determine if they can find out anything about her place in history,” he said.

Nolte said they are also seeking to honor Wheatley on a state level.

“As part of our salute for Elleen, we put together a proclamation of recognition that we have submitted through Rep. Stan Gustafson to be taken to the governor’s office, so we’re hoping that can be accomplished here in the very near future, as well,” he said.

Nicotero said he still visits Wheatley every day he is able, driving the hour and a half from Walnut to Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston.

“I love her to death. ... She’s my best friend,” he said.

And as for her service, Wheatley said becoming a U.S. Marine was something she enjoyed.

“I was glad to be in the service. ... I met a lot of nice people. And I thought I was helping out, too,” she said.

Wheatley, while sharing about her life and service Thursday, beamed with gratitude.

“We are thankful to be alive, and thankful to be in America,” she said.