Windsor- Due to illness, Mary Kiba Gillerlain, 95, left our Earth from a Norfolk hospital to seek a more lasting peace and joy.  Her husband, Leo, passed in 1985, but she leaves behind her daughter, Deborah, and son-in-law, David.

Mary was a Telco employee for many decades.  As one of the original "Rosie the Riveter" ladies, she was the only lady who welded aluminum at the shipyard in Portsmouth during WWII.  She also lobbied to have POWs released from Red China after the Korean War.  One of those released was her brother Steve Kiba, a plane's navigator who later testified before Congress and penned a book to chronicle his time as a tortured POW.

As one of "the greatest generation," she was a daughter of legal Hungarian immigrants and one who greatly respected our country. Since Mary shared a special love and concern for all animals, she adopted several dogs during her life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090, and/or a local animal shelter or rescue group.

A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Foster Funeral Home, 1926 High St., Portsmouth. Burial will follow at All Saints Catholic Cemetery, 2701 Elm Ave., Portsmouth. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.