Donovan Marion

American inventor and entrepreneur best known for developing the first waterproof disposable diaper, a feat which earned her election to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2015. Donovan was granted four patents for her plastic diaper cover, including the use of plastic snaps as opposed to safety pins. After two years of selling the waterproof diaper at Saks Fifth Avenue, her company and patents were sold for $1,000,000 to the Keko Corporation ($9.5MM in 2018). Donovan was granted 20 patents from 1951 to 1996. These included woman-related essentials and other convenience items, such as a facial tissue box, storage container box, towel dispenser, hosiery clamp, envelope and writing sheet combination, closet organizer, and dental flossing products. In 1985, she invented the product DentaLoop, a two-ply dental floss that eliminated the need to wrap the dental floss around ones finger for use. Donovan had stints as an editor at both Harpers Bazaar and Vogue magazine. She eventually quit working to focus on her family life. Donovan was first married to James F. Donovan and later to John F. Butler and had three children. She died on 4 November 1998 at the age of 81 at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less