Obituary – Josie Ella Dunn

God sent an Angel to call Josie Ella Dunn home on Nov. 26.

Josie was the 7th child born to George Henry and Josie Viola Beard in Wilton, Arkansas on June 23, 1918. Just four short months later, Josie’s father passed away, leaving her mother to raise her 7 children. Josie’s mother supported the family in Summit, Oklahoma (OK), a suburb of Muskogee, by working long and arduous hours picking and chopping cotton. From a very young age, Josie, often referred to as “Baby Jo,” and her siblings helped their mother out in the cotton fields, even during her early schooling years at Dunbar Elementary in Summit, OK. Josie later completed high school (HS) at Manual Training HS.

Josie married her high school sweetheart Mark Ingram around 1936. While the marriage would not last, it produced one son, Ventris Ingram; the family affectionately kidded that Ventris was Josie’s birthday gift, as he was born one day after her birthday, on June 24.

Josie came to Seattle in 1943 through President Roosevelt’s program called the National Youth Administration, under what was also known as the “New Deal” plan. Josie was offered a job doing sheet metal in a defense plant at the shipyards. While she was excited about the opportunity, she knew that she would not be able to do the work, due to her fear of water. She then chose her other option: working for Boeing as a riveter, which was ultimately a rewarding and life-changing experience.

Despite having a bus line very close to home, Josie and her sister Annie Mae walked more than 2 miles each way to work at Boeing Plant 2, in order to save money to help over 10 relatives come to Seattle for better job opportunities. Over the years, she and others affectionately referred to her as “Josie the Riveter.” Josie worked for Boeing for nearly 38 years, retiring in 1981.

Josie married Clarence Dunn in 1946, and they would share 52 years of marriage until his passing in 1998. During her marriage to Clarence, they enjoyed travelling in their motor home, which included a cross-country trip, stopping to visit with family in Flint, Michigan and New York, where the family saw Little Richard at a revival in Smithtown, Long Island, shortly after he became a preacher.

Josie joined Mount Zion Baptist church in 1953, under Pastor Benjamin Davis. Her favorite pastor was Rev. Samuel B. McKinney, and she enjoyed listening to his program with Rev. Ruth Saunders each Sunday. Josie was the first person in line to join the Mount Zion Credit Union, and she remained a proud member of the church for the remainder of her life.

In the 1950s, Josie was part of a group of African American residents in the Central District who decided to pool their funds and resources to form The first Black-owned and operated supermarket in Seattle, which was located at 21st and E. Yesler Street.

Josie had little trouble finding ways to fill her spare time during her years of retirement. She was a member of the Black Genealogy Research Group – Seattle Chapter, and attended many meetings at the African American Museum and Douglass Truth Library. She particularly enjoyed spending time with the group members, which included her nephew Peathon Massey.

Josie was a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Urban League, and the Central Area Senior Center, where she enjoyed many educational classes and formed many friendships.

Josie had several rental properties in Seattle and always kept the rents well below market rates to help families get ahead financially.

Josie also stayed active by helping to organize the “Black Rosie’s,” in an effort to bring together and honor the Black women who had not been broadly recognized for a number of years, despite the great and substantial contributions they made related to the war effort.

Josie participated in many Rosie events, such as the annual Women in Trades job fair held at the Seattle Center, where she and her Rosie Sisters were featured in “Rosie’s Corner,” in which they proudly shared stories of their great contributions to the war effort during World War II.

Puget Sound Rosies were honored at Seattle’s 2013 NW Folklife Festival; the interview will forever be a part of history at the Library of Congress. She also participated in an oral and video history at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle.

Rosie’s Josie and her niece Lou Annie Charles were invited to Boeing’s Museum of Flight to visit a B-17 that they helped build while working for Boeing, and for a special interview and photo shoot with the Seattle Times in August 2015.

Josie was honored to provide interviews locally with KUOW’s Ashley Ahern; David Dunham of the University of Berkeley, California’s (UC) Oral History; the final copy of the UC manuscript is to be deposited in the Bancroft Library and at the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Additionally, there are plans to include Josie’s oral history as part of the Bancroft Library’s online collection.

Josie, along with Jack Eskenazi, LeEtta King, and Douglas Barnett shared stories of their lives in the Central District through the Memory Lane Project, which recognized those who played a role in creating its history.

Josie was recently diagnosed with Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), often referred to as a bone marrow cancer, which is a condition that does not allow blood cells and platelets to produce normally. Josie always managed to keep a smile on her face and prayers in her heart as she remained in good spirits, despite her grim diagnosis. She was surrounded and comforted by family and friends in the days and hours before her passing.

Josie leaves to mourn her son Ventris Ingram (Anita); granddaughters Jerri Ingram (Thomas) and Kimberly Ingram-Baun (David); sister-in-law Cora Faison Dunn; nieces Lou Annie Charles (Dexter) and Norma Jean Tucker; nephew Cloyd Kilgore; grandnieces Gloria Ross, Dawn Massey, Karan Davidson (Bernard), Betty Ruth Bell Thomas, and Brenda Charles-Edwards (Paul); cousin Myrtle Calloway; special friends Carolyn Hubbard, Eva Vassar, Emma Cotton, Evie Dodson, and a host of other loving relatives and friends.

Services will be held this Sat., Dec. 10 at 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers the family requests that any donations be made to Central Area Senior Center, Evergreen Hospice, Mount Zion Baptist Church and Antioch Ministry.