Bette Nesmith Graham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bette Nesmith Graham
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Bette Nesmith Graham, with son Michael
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| Born |
Bette Clair McMurray
March 23, 1924 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | May 12, 1980 (aged 56) Richardson, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | High school graduate |
| Known for | Invention of Liquid Paper |
| Spouse(s) |
Warren Audrey Nesmith (1919-1984)
(m. 1942–1946)Robert Graham
(m. 1962–1975) |
| Children | Michael Nesmith |
| Parent(s) | Jesse McMurray Christine Duval McMurray |
Bette Nesmith Graham (born March 23, 1924 – died May 12, 1980) was an American typist and artist. She is famous for inventing Liquid Paper, a special fluid used to correct mistakes on paper. She was also the mother of Michael Nesmith, a musician from the popular band The Monkees.
Contents
Bette Nesmith Graham's Life Story
Early Life and Family
Bette Clair McMurray was born in Dallas, Texas. Her father, Jesse McMurray, managed a car parts company. Her mother was Christine Duval. Bette grew up in San Antonio and finished high school there.
She married Warren Audrey Nesmith in 1942. He went to fight in World War II. While he was away, Bette had their son, Robert Michael Nesmith, in 1942. After the war, Bette and Warren divorced in 1946.
In the early 1950s, Bette's father passed away. He left her some property in Dallas. Bette, her mother, Michael, and her sister Yvonne moved to Dallas. To support her family as a single mom, Bette worked as a secretary. She became an executive secretary, which was the highest position a woman could reach in that field at the time.
The Idea for Liquid Paper
In the 1950s, electric typewriters made it hard to fix mistakes. Erasing often left smudges. Bette was also a talented artist. She painted holiday windows at the bank where she worked to earn extra money. She noticed that artists don't erase mistakes. Instead, they paint over them.
This gave her an idea. She thought, "Why not use paint to fix typing errors?" She put some tempera paint, which is water-based, into a small bottle. She took her watercolor brush to the office. She used this white paint to cover her typing mistakes.
Developing and Selling Her Invention
Bette used her secret white correction paint for five years. She kept making it better. Her son's chemistry teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas even helped her. Some of her bosses didn't like her using it. But her coworkers often asked for her "paint out."
In 1956, she started selling her typewriter correction fluid. She called it "Mistake Out." Later, when she started her own company, she changed the name to Liquid Paper.
In the early 1960s, Mistake Out was still a small business. Bette's home was also the company's main office. As more people needed the product, she moved production from her kitchen. She set up a small metal building in her backyard. This is where they packaged, shipped, and made the product.
Bette married Robert Graham in 1962. He joined her in running the company. They divorced in 1975.
Selling the Company
In 1979, Bette sold Liquid Paper to the Gillette Corporation. She sold it for USD $47.5 million. This would be worth about $174.73 million today (in 2021). At that time, her company had 200 employees. They made 25 million bottles of Liquid Paper every year.
Bette Nesmith Graham passed away on May 12, 1980. She was 56 years old. She died in Richardson, Texas, after having a stroke.
How Bette Graham Ran Her Company
From the very beginning, Bette Graham managed her company in a special way. She combined her spiritual beliefs with practical ideas. She believed in treating everyone fairly. She also thought women could bring a more caring approach to business.
In 1975, she built a new company headquarters. It had a green area with a fish pond. There was also a library for employees. She even provided a childcare center. These things showed her belief in supporting her workers.
Bette Graham's Legacy
Bette's only son, Michael Nesmith, inherited a large part of her money. He received over $50 million. He used some of this money to create the Gihon Foundation. This foundation started the Council on Ideas. It was a group that thought about world problems.
Another part of Bette's money went to the Betty Clair McMurray Foundation. This foundation helps many projects. It supports exhibits like "Texas Women, A Celebration of History." It also helps young mothers with career advice. It provides shelter and counseling for women in need. And it offers college scholarships for older women.
In 2018, The New York Times published a special obituary for her.
See also
In Spanish: Bette Nesmith Graham para niños
