This oral history interview with Marie Merchant was conducted by Amy Kesselman at Merchant's home in Portland, Oregon, on July 20, 1981. In this interview, Merchant discusses her early life in Lexington, Kentucky, including her marriage history and raising a family during the Depression. She describes how she came to work as a scaler and painter’s helper at Willamette Iron and Steel in Portland, Oregon, during World War II. She talks about the job duties of a scaler, about her child care arrangements, and about the work she did after the end of the war. She shares her reasons for remaining in Portland and talks about her involvement in her church.