Rose M. Nicoletti Smith, the first female window clerk at a Pittsburgh post office and later its first female supervisor, died from a stroke July 14 at the Manor Care nursing home in Bethel Park. She was 88.

Mrs. Smith filled in on a Sharpsburg route in 1943 when World War II created a shortage of male postal carriers, becoming the first woman in the region to do so.

She was a pioneer in other ways during the war, working at a Heinz plant that had been re-engineered to fabricate glider wings, and later at a Westinghouse Electric plant that made bolts for war. That made her one of six million women of that era who earned the moniker, "Rosie the Riveter," in recognition of their work in predominantly male-oriented factories.

Her trailblazing work had its downside. After the war, the post office was weighing the elimination of her new route, in Brentwood, jeopardizing her job. But because of her high Civil Service score, Postal Service executives made Mrs. Smith the region's first female window clerk, said her husband, Lawrence R. Smith.

Mrs. Smith enjoyed going to flea market and was an avid collector of antiques, said Mr. Smith. He met her while working as a postman in Brentwood in 1952, but the couple didn't marry until 1978, shortly after they started working together at the Pleasant Hills post office.

Both married a relatively old age -- he was 52, and she was 57. They didn't have any children, but enjoyed taking cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada after they retired from the post office.

Her husband described her as a nice and joyful person. "She helped everybody."

Mrs. Smith, who was born in Ross, held several positions with the Postal Service, including serving as a hearing officer for the eastern region, covering seven states.

"She loved the job. She would be working today, if she could," said Mr. Smith.

In addition to husband, Mrs. Smith is survived by a sister, Sarah Oglesby of North Hills.

A Mass will be celebrated tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the St. Gabriel Church, Whitehall.