Betty James, Co-Founder Of Slinky Dead At 90

allheadlinenews ^ | November 23, 2008

[JoeProBono]

Hollidaysburg, PA (AHN) - Betty James - the co-founder of the company that made the Slinky - and a single mother who broke the glass ceiling to become a successful executive in the 1950s has died. She was 90.

James co-founded what would become the Slinky empire in 1945 with her husband, the late Richard James.

But when her husband left to join a religious cult and follow it to Bolivia, she took over control and management of the company, James Industries Inc., along with raising the couple's six children alone.

[JoeProBono]

[Textide]

Found a post by someone claiming to be one of his daughters.

Great summary of the story of the Slinky. Everything is accurate except for the statement that Richard James joined a cult in Bolivia. This is not accurate information. Richard James went to Bolivia with Wycliffe Bible Translators which is a reputable Christian organization. He also did not "abandon" or "leave" his wife and children to become a missionary. He begged and pleaded his wife to come with him to do missionary work in Bolivia. She would have none of it. I know this for a fact because I have read the letters that Richard James, my father, wrote to Betty James.

Wycliff International's home page

Didn't see anything about Richard James...

[ChetNavVet]

I don’t have a credit card. but I appreciate the invention nonetheless. I think my neph still has a metal one, think I’ll scare the cat. LOL

[Textide]

Ah, I’m too slow :P

[JoeProBono]

Richard T. James the Slinky Inventor -- CNBC spotlight

[csvset]

And now you know... the rest of the story.

Good day !

[Daffynition]

"It's Slinky, it's Slinky, for fun it's a wonderful toy. It's Slinky, it's Slinky, it's fun for a girl and a boy."

I swear the boy in this TV ad looks androgynous...

Yep. Here he is 20 years later at the Milan fashion show...

[Textide]

Good find! Had an extra " at the end of the link. Youtube said there was a malformed ID.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCWgobuyUVM

[JoeProBono]

[Tax-chick]

At least we have some idea of the rest of the story, although the details are conflicting.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[csvset]

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of the two versions of the story.

[JoeProBono]

[Slings and Arrows]

Their new product looks like a real winner.

[Tax-chick]

I expect you’re right. Wycliffe Bible Translators is certainly not a cult.

[JoeProBono]

Slinky cat

GREAT! Still laughing.

[JoeProBono]

[Slings and Arrows]

Hey, I’d buy one.

[JoeProBono]

"Richard James went to Bolivia with Wycliffe Bible Translators which is a reputable Christian organization. He also did not "abandon" or "leave" his wife and children to become a missionary. He begged and pleaded his wife to come with him to do missionary work in Bolivia. She would have none of it."

Interesting. Coincidentaly, when my ex-brother-in-law told his ex-wife they were moving to Bolivia, she made him a thermos of koolaid and told him not to drink it until he found them an apartment.