Minnesota WWII veteran celebrates turning 100 years old, wishes today's young people had 'more backbone'

 Dorothy Lassig, 100 years old, served in the Navy and raised 8 children

A female World War II veteran who overcame tremendous hardship during her lifetime — including war — turned 100 this month. 

She shared with Fox News Digital memories of raising three siblings, serving her country, bringing up her own eight children, becoming a nurse at age 49, suffering the loss of a son to suicide — and square dancing until she was 92.

More than 200,000 women served in the military during WWII — but only about 10,000 of them are still living today, according to the National WWII Museum. 

One of those women is Dorothy Lassig of Stewartville, Minnesota. 

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"It was a different time," Lassig told Fox News Digital. 

"We had a really deep depression. There were no jobs for anybody really. And we were attacked. Pearl Harbor did a lot to us. When something like that happens, it's a lot different than it is nowadays. You don't even stop to think about it. It's just something you have to do."

Dorothy (in center) served in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist's mate and was stationed for a period of time in Key West, Florida. "We would stabilize them and then send them on closer to their homes." (Sara Lassig)

Lassig served the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist’s mate third class.

She was stationed in Key West, Florida.

"Ships would come into the harbor and we would get people and field-dress them," Lassig said. 

"We called it field-dressing even though they were in the Navy. We would stabilize them and then send them on closer to their homes."

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Lassig said she was also trained as a physical therapist. 

In her last six months of service, Lassig said she was transferred to the Navy Hospital Corp in Miami Beach.

A woman in a male-dominated setting, Lassig was confident in her position, she told Fox News Digital. (Sara Lassig)

"We opened up a dependent’s unit for all the moms and girlfriends that were going to come in to have babies," Lassig said.

Lassig said she felt confident working as a woman in a male-dominated setting.

"Well, actually, anybody working in the Hospital Corps was better off than those not working there because the guys that were working with us were really great," Lassig said. 

"We never had to worry about anything."

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Originally from Wisconsin, Lassig showed toughness and a willingness to serve from an early age.

Lassig is pictured with her 4-year-old great-granddaughter, Madeline. (Sara Lassig)

"My father left us when we were toddlers," Lassig said. "I had two brothers and a baby sister. I was the oldest and our mother left us a few years later. We were turned over by our Lutheran pastor to our maternal grandparents on a farm that they rented."

Lassig said she did not want to talk further about her childhood — except to say that in many ways, she had to take on the role of mother to her siblings.

"All my life," she said. "Because I was the oldest, I've been told, ‘Do this’ and ‘Do that’ and 'Look after them’ — all my life."

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Later, after teaching in a country school for two years, Lassig married, moved to a farm in Wisconsin and had eight children of her own. 

Dorothy Lassig (far right) pictured with two granddaughters, Sara Lassig and Kelli Lassig. She has 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. (Sara Lassig)

Lassig has 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. 

She’s been a widow for 43 years.

At age 49, Lassig went back to school and became a licensed practical nurse (LPN); she said she worked mostly in obstetrics until she was 72.

Lassig said the happiest moment of her 100 years was the day her first son was born — and that her most challenging moment in life was when one of her sons committed suicide.

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"You don’t forget it either," she said.

Developments in modern medicine are the innovations that have made the biggest impression on Lassig, she said.

Lassig smiles with her favorite mail carriers who come and check on her every day. She's pictured with her dog, Sadie, right by her side. (Sara Lassig)

"Just think, penicillin was invented in 1929 and in World War II, we were still trying to figure out how we could use it. Also, I have two granddaughters with diabetes. Diabetes is strong in our side of the family, but there was no insulin for diabetics until sometime in the '30s." 

To stay fit, Lassig said she started square dancing when she was 65 — and did her last dance at 92. 

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She makes a pot of coffee most mornings — and lately she’s been on a Wheaties kick. 

But a friend bought her some Bismark pastries for her birthday. So Lassig confessed to sneaking in a few of those at breakfast time. 

Dorothy Lassig is pictured playing with great-granddaughter Madeline three years ago. (Sara Lassig)

Lassig shied away from offering too much advice about living well — other than only eating "things that taste good and feel good on my tongue. A lot of chocolate," she said.

But she did say it's hard for her to see so many young people "who don’t do anything but party."

Said Lassig, "I wish they would get a little more backbone." 

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"Hard work is not as important to some kids today. I think the pandemic did a lot toward that."

Lassig had a large celebration in honor of her 100th birthday on April 4.  (Sara Lassig)

There’s just one thing that Lassig said she’s always wanted to do — and it involves a family member who followed in her military footsteps.

"I have a grandson who is a commander in the Navy as a helicopter pilot," Lassig said. 

"I’ve asked him, I don't know how many birthdays now, to bring a Navy helicopter and give me a ride. But he says the Navy won't let him do that."

Dorothy Lassig, on the left during her military days, shared favorite stories from the past 100 years as she celebrated her landmark birthday. (Sara Lassig)

Lassig and her dog, Sadie, who she said is about her same age, take naps together and take care of each other.

The family had a 100th birthday celebration for Lassig on April 4 — an event for which she said she still "has to get even with a few people."