User:Zidiu

Marion Donovan
Marion Donovan was born in 1917 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her maiden name was Marion O’Brien. She was American. Marion Donovan grew up in a family of inventors. Her father and uncle invented the ‘South Bend lathe’, which was used for grinding of automotive gears. Her mother died when Marion was only 7 years old, so she spent most of her time in her father’s factory.

Marion attended Rosemont College in Philadelphia from which she graduated in 1939 at the age of 22 with a BA in English Literature. She got a job as an assistant beauty editor for Vouge magazine in New York. However, she soon resigned and married a leather importer named James Donavan and started a family with him.

Marion hated the hardships of motherhood although one day while changing her daughter Sharon’s nappy she got an idea. Using a number of shower curtains and her sewing machine, Marion designed a cover. This turned out to be leak proof and also eliminated ‘diaper rash.’

Marion Donovan received a patent in 1951. She was not satisfied however, and thought a disposable paper nappy would be better. Marion wanted to keep all moisture away from the baby. She managed to come up with a design that was suitable.

Marion’s paper nappy idea sold for about $1 000 000. She wanted to dedicate her time to making more inventions and decided to continue her education and went to YALE University. She graduated at age 41 with an Architecture degree.

Marion Donovan designed her own home in Greenwich and by this time in 1958 she had invented many useful household items, which included:

1.	A compact hanger holding 30 garments. 2.	An elastic cord that attached to the zipper on the back of a dress. 3.	A soap dish that was designed to drain into a sink. The elastic cord was given the name “Zippity-Do”. The number of patents that Donovan received increased over a dozen.

Marion Donovan then died on 4th November 1998. Her name is still not widely recognised.