Marion Donovan was born October 15, 1917, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. and died November 4, 1998, in New York City. Donovan was an inventor who is best known for developing the first waterproof disposable diaper. She was one of only three women in her graduating class at Yale University, where she earned a Master’s Degree in architecture. Donovan married and had two children. She became quite unhappy with changing cloth diapers and the mess made to the nearby sheets and blankets. She proceeded to invent the first waterproof diaper cover, with the help of a sewing machine and shower curtain. Marion Donovan received four patents for her diaper cover and for the use of snaps rather than safety pins. She went on to be granted 20 patents for women related items, which included a towel dispenser, hosiery clamp, closet organizer and facial tissue box, just to name a few. Marion Donovan was elected into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2015.
Additional information about this ingenious woman may be found at the following websites:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Donovan
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/the-woman-who-invented-disposable-diapers/381310/
http://americacomesalive.com/2013/03/07/marion-obrien-donovan-1917-1998-inventor-of-the-disposable-diaper/