Betty James, Slinky Co-Founder
Co-founder of the the company that brought us the slinky, Betty James, passed away on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at the age of 90 in Philadelphia. Betty James along with her then husband, created the company that would develop one of our most beloved toys, the Slinky.
When asked about the Slinky’s appeal, James said in a 1995 interview, “I think really it’s the simplicity of it. There’s nothing to wind up; it doesn’t take batteries. I think also the price helps. More children can play with it than a $40 or $60 toy.”
James was a strong woman who beat the odds as a single mother during a time when it was still taboo. Her husband left her 14 years after founding the toy company to join a religious cult. This forced Betty to raise her six children on her own, traveling every week from her home in Hollidaysburg to the plant in Philadelphia. She soon decided to move the company to her hometown and eventually sold it to POOF Products Inc.
Betty James was a pioneering female executive that created a toy beloved by children everywhere. What an incredible life.
More on Betty James More on The Slinky
Associated Press Death Announcement
Photo courtesy of The Toy Association
Tags: Betty James, slinky