Facing life without a husband is difficult for any widow, but it is especially challenging for women with young children. During World War II, thousands of women learned the terrible news that their husband would not be coming home. Although Herb did not die in the war, Esther needed to make some difficult choices. Three of her options are listed below. Read through the list and see if you can pick the one that Esther decided upon. In an oral history interview, Esther explained her reasons for selecting or rejecting each of these options.

What choice do you think Esther made? Option 1. Stay in Minneapolis and get a war job like "Rosie the Riveter." Option 2. Go back to Iowa. Option 3. Stay in Minneapolis and depend on government support programs like Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) until the children were older.

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