Florence Melton

Florence Zacks Melton (November 6, 1911 – February 8, 2007) was an American inventor known for innovating the foam-soled and washable slipper.^[1]

Early life

Melton grew up in Philadelphia in an extremely poor family. She worked at a local Woolworth's from age 13 in order to support her family. She married her first husband, Aaron Zacks, when she was 19, and subsequently moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he worked as a merchandiser for a department store.^[1]

Career

Melton served on the Board of United Way (then the Red Feather Agency) and with the Red Cross Nutrition Corps. In the 1970s, she became the first woman to serve on the board of the Huntington National Bank and was a founding member of CAJE (the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education).^[2]

Melton co-founded the R.G. Barry Corporation in 1946 with Zacks. While investigating foam latex as a possible material for her patented women's shoulder pad, she discovered that she could use the material to line slippers. Marketed first as Angel Treads and later as Dearfoams, Melton's slippers were immediately successful. More than 1 billion slippers have been sold, according to the company.^[2]

Before her death, she served as a consultant for Product Development and Design. Her son, author and speaker Gordon Zacks, served as the CEO of the company. He died on Feb. 1, 2014.^[3] Another son, Barry Zacks, founded the Max & Erma's restaurant chain in 1972, taking it public. He died in 1990.

In 1968, Melton married industrialist and philanthropist Samuel M. Melton. Together, they created the "Florence Melton Adult Mini-School," a two-year, non-denominational program, which operates in over 70 North American communities and Australia.^[4]

In the mid 1980s Melton initiated the "Discovery" program, which attempts to connect youths to their family ancestry, community, different denominations in Judaism, and to Israel. The program involves extensive field trips and culminates in a tour to Israel.^[2]

Melton was the founder of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, a pluralistic adult learning program to enable adults to gain Jewish literacy through a broad and deep curriculum created by scholars and educators at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Melton schools all over the globe from Sydney, Australia to Portland, Oregon continue the legacy.

References

1 2 Miller, Stephen (2007-02-13). "Florence Zack Melton, 95, Invented Foam Slippers" (Obituary). New York Sun.
1 2 3 "Awards: Florence Zacks Melton". webpage. The National Foundation for Jewish Culture.
↑ "Obituary: Gordon B. Zacks". webpage. PRNewswire.
↑ Melissa Kossler Dutton (2007-02-21). "Florence Melton, Jewish education activist passes away at age 95" (Obituary). The New Standard. Columbus, OH.

Ohio Women's Hall of Fame

1970–1979

1978	Allen, FlorenceFlorence Allen Black, Helen ChatfieldHelen Chatfield Black Bolton, FrancesFrances Bolton Boyer, ElizabethElizabeth Boyer Bracken, HarrietHarriet Bracken Cooper, Martha KinneyMartha Kinney Cooper Donahey, GertrudeGertrude Donahey Hunter, Jane EdnaJane Edna Hunter Kline, ConsolataConsolata Kline Kunkle, VirginiaVirginia Kunkle Mahoney, MargaretMargaret Mahoney McClelland, Helen GraceHelen Grace McClelland Merritt, AgnesAgnes Merritt Papier, RoseRose Papier Randolph, LottieLottie Randolph Stewart, Ella P.Ella P. Stewart Valiquette, MarigeneMarigene Valiquette Walker, Ann B.Ann B. Walker Walsh, StellaStella Walsh Wells, MarionMarion Wells

1979	Akeley, Mary JobeMary Jobe Akeley Bickerdyke, Mary AnnMary Ann Bickerdyke Cleveland, BeatriceBeatrice Cleveland Earley, Charity EdnaCharity Edna Earley Jammal, EleanorEleanor Jammal Kochan, BerniceBernice Kochan Leedy, EmilyEmily Leedy Lyons, RuthRuth Lyons Mock, JerrieJerrie Mock Phaler, EmmaEmma Phaler Redinger, RachelRachel Redinger Sterne, BobbieBobbie Sterne Swanbeck, EthelEthel Swanbeck Weisenborn, ClaraClara Weisenborn Whiteman, MarjorieMarjorie Whiteman

1980–1989

1980	Berlin, GraceGrace Berlin Bombeck, ErmaErma Bombeck Byrne, PatriciaPatricia Byrne Crawford, RuthRuth Crawford Fast, LouisaLouisa Fast Fuldheim, DorothyDorothy Fuldheim Gish, LillianLillian Gish Greisheimer, EstherEsther Greisheimer Keller, EdithEdith Keller Kitchen, TellaTella Kitchen Krupansky, BlancheBlanche Krupansky Larlham, HattieHattie Larlham Nemeth, Mary LouiseMary Louise Nemeth Oakley, AnnieAnnie Oakley Weber, DorisDoris Weber

1981	Bayer, MildredMildred Bayer Bischoff Lovin, TinaTina Bischoff Lovin Cornelius, DorothyDorothy Cornelius Day, DorisDoris Day Diller, PhyllisPhyllis Diller Hunkins, EusebiaEusebia Hunkins Norton, AndreAndre Norton Untermeyer, Jean StarrJean Starr Untermeyer Upton, Harriet TaylorHarriet Taylor Upton Wilson, NancyNancy Wilson

1982	Boyd, A. MargaretA. Margaret Boyd Eriksson, AnnAnn Eriksson Foley, BerniceBernice Foley George, Zelma WatsonZelma Watson George Izant, Grace GoulderGrace Goulder Izant Morrison, ToniToni Morrison Sewell, PhyllisPhyllis Sewell Spain, JayneJayne Spain Zelkowitz, HelenHelen Zelkowitz

1983	Anderson, Harriet J.Harriet J. Anderson Biggs, IoneIone Biggs Bingham, EulaEula Bingham Boyle, Mary O.Mary O. Boyle Heath, MariwynMariwyn Heath Irwin, JosephineJosephine Irwin Janis, BarbaraBarbara Janis Player, MinnieMinnie Player Steinem, GloriaGloria Steinem Winning, FredaFreda Winning Young, Mary E. MillerMary E. Miller Young

1984	Cooper, SallySally Cooper Harris, Sarah E.Sarah E. Harris Hauserman, Cindy NobleCindy Noble Hauserman Kaptur, MarcyMarcy Kaptur Nussbaum, KarenKaren Nussbaum Oakar, Mary RoseMary Rose Oakar Pinkerton, CatherineCatherine Pinkerton Player, WillaWilla Player Resnik, JudithJudith Resnik Santmyer, Helen HoovenHelen Hooven Santmyer Trimble, MarianMarian Trimble Wollenberg, JoyceJoyce Wollenberg

1985	Cook, Lois Anna BarrLois Anna Barr Cook Cotner, MercedesMercedes Cotner Draz, ZellZell Draz Easterling, BarbaraBarbara Easterling Giovanni, NikkiNikki Giovanni Gonzalez, AuroraAurora Gonzalez Lazarus, MaryMary Lazarus Mandel, BarbaraBarbara Mandel Marcere, NormaNorma Marcere Mulholland, HelenHelen Mulholland Schimmoler, LaurettaLauretta Schimmoler Schott, MargeMarge Schott Steinbrenner, Mary JenMary Jen Steinbrenner

1986	Andrew, MargaretMargaret Andrew Barber, KathleenKathleen Barber Biles, FayFay Biles Blackwell, ElizabethElizabeth Blackwell Clarke, MarieMarie Clarke Crosby, Eva MaeEva Mae Crosby Dee, RubyRuby Dee Drennan, CynthiaCynthia Drennan Glendinning, HookerHooker Glendinning Herring, LouiseLouise Herring LeVeque, KatherineKatherine LeVeque Miller, Ruth RatnerRuth Ratner Miller Nava, AmeliaAmelia Nava Pratt, Arline WebbArline Webb Pratt Przelomski, Anastasia AnnAnastasia Ann Przelomski Purdy, VirginiaVirginia Purdy Walker, Selma LoisSelma Lois Walker Walsh, JuliaJulia Walsh Wattleton, FayeFaye Wattleton Withrow, Mary EllenMary Ellen Withrow

1988	Biggins, AnnaAnna Biggins Clonch, PatriciaPatricia Clonch Craden, NormaNorma Craden Graham, Jewel FreemanJewel Freeman Graham Guisewite, CathyCathy Guisewite Jackson, Rebecca D.Rebecca D. Jackson Jenkins, Carol HeissCarol Heiss Jenkins Kane, CarolCarol Kane Larsen, BeaBea Larsen Lev, Alice RafulAlice Raful Lev Rocker Sogg, LindaLinda Rocker Sogg Smeal, EleanorEleanor Smeal Utz, CarolynCarolyn Utz Ward, Anita SmithAnita Smith Ward

1989	Brown, Jeanette GrasselliJeanette Grasselli Brown Carnahan, MaxineMaxine Carnahan Chapman, TracyTracy Chapman Cowles, Betsy MixBetsy Mix Cowles Gazelle, AnnAnn Gazelle Graves, MichelleMichelle Graves Harshman, FlorenceFlorence Harshman Hutt, JuneJune Hutt Jensen, GeraldineGeraldine Jensen Mahoney, CarolynCarolyn Mahoney Myers, LindaLinda Myers Porter, JennieJennie Porter Poulton, DianeDiane Poulton Powell, ReneeRenee Powell Spretnak, CharleneCharlene Spretnak Ventura, CharleneCharlene Ventura

1990–1999

1990	Gaston, MarilynMarilyn Gaston Jackson, DorothyDorothy Jackson Jackson, Luella TalmadgeLuella Talmadge Jackson Kalven, JanetJanet Kalven Kanter, RosabethRosabeth Kanter Kuhn, MaggieMaggie Kuhn Lamson, JoanJoan Lamson Lin, MayaMaya Lin Macko, Anne VarianoAnne Variano Macko Mott, AliciaAlicia Mott Sauvageot, LudelLudel Sauvageot Shur, Fanchon bat-LillianFanchon bat-Lillian Shur Sutliff, Phebe TemperancePhebe Temperance Sutliff Williams, GrayceGrayce Williams

1991	Abbott, BereniceBerenice Abbott Badger, EarladeenEarladeen Badger Brown, HallieHallie Brown Davidson, JoAnnJoAnn Davidson Diaz-Sprague, RaquelRaquel Diaz-Sprague Dove, RitaRita Dove Gavin, Mary IgnatiaMary Ignatia Gavin Harper, SaraSara Harper Hawk, DonnaDonna Hawk Holley, JuneJune Holley Moore, Martha C.Martha C. Moore Owens, DarleneDarlene Owens Peterson, HelenHelen Peterson Pituch, MarthaMartha Pituch Pointer, YvonneYvonne Pointer Ruehlmann, VirginiaVirginia Ruehlmann Schwarz, JosephineJosephine Schwarz Timken, SuzanneSuzanne Timken Bieniek, Nancy VertroneNancy Vertrone Bieniek Zannoni, Stella MarieStella Marie Zannoni

1992	Beaumont, Mary of the AnnunciationMary of the Annunciation Beaumont Eaton, AntoinetteAntoinette Eaton McCullough, RubieRubie McCullough Oakley, NancyNancy Oakley Parker, HarrietHarriet Parker Porter, SusanSusan Porter Rice, Helen SteinerHelen Steiner Rice Schille, AliceAlice Schille Thompson, LouellaLouella Thompson

1993	Benson, MildredMildred Benson Bingham, AmeliaAmelia Bingham Coffey, VirginiaVirginia Coffey Colombi, Viola FamianoViola Famiano Colombi Gunter, IvyIvy Gunter Hamilton, VirginiaVirginia Hamilton Hayes, Lucy WebbLucy Webb Hayes Hintz, Joy AliceJoy Alice Hintz Macelwane, GeraldineGeraldine Macelwane McCormick, Anne O'HareAnne O'Hare McCormick Olshansky, RenaRena Olshansky Pincham, EdnaEdna Pincham Plummer, MaxineMaxine Plummer Reilly, JeanJean Reilly Riel, PaulinePauline Riel

1994	Cook, Christine M.Christine M. Cook Coulton, ClaudiaClaudia Coulton Craig-Jones, Ellen WalkerEllen Walker Craig-Jones Ferrall, NanetteNanette Ferrall Griesse, Jill HarmsJill Harms Griesse Griffith, GeorgiaGeorgia Griffith Melton, FlorenceFlorence Melton Nussdorfer, LucilleLucille Nussdorfer Reece, JaneJane Reece Reynolds, Emma AnnEmma Ann Reynolds Scott, CarolCarol Scott Spence, PaulaPaula Spence Tribe, DeannaDeanna Tribe Wald, LillianLillian Wald

1995	Beckwith, SandraSandra Beckwith Beveridge, Daeida Hartell WilcoxDaeida Hartell Wilcox Beveridge Blackmon, Patricia AnnPatricia Ann Blackmon Bowermaster, MaryMary Bowermaster Brennan, ChristineChristine Brennan Cauffman, Joy GarrisonJoy Garrison Cauffman Clark, BunnyBunny Clark Drake, GraceGrace Drake Evans, NaomiNaomi Evans Gage, Frances DanaFrances Dana Gage Kirkham, JaneJane Kirkham Lewis, SylviaSylvia Lewis Longaberger, TamiTami Longaberger Moon, DonnaDonna Moon Murphy, GratiaGratia Murphy Resnick, Alice RobieAlice Robie Resnick Siebert, MurielMuriel Siebert

1996	Cartwright, CarolCarol Cartwright Evans, ElizabethElizabeth Evans Goodall, Rae NatalieRae Natalie Goodall Hauser, ElizabethElizabeth Hauser Healy, BernadineBernadine Healy Kelly, CarolCarol Kelly Lewis, FannieFannie Lewis Montgomery, BettyBetty Montgomery Taft, HopeHope Taft

1997	Ball, CarolCarol Ball Byers, MarilynMarilyn Byers Capers, Jean MurrellJean Murrell Capers Dorsey, MarthaMartha Dorsey Heidelberg, JoanJoan Heidelberg Herbert, ClariceClarice Herbert Lampkin, BeatriceBeatrice Lampkin Mayer Townsend, JacquelynJacquelyn Mayer Townsend O'Rourke, AnnAnn O'Rourke Rothschild, BerylBeryl Rothschild Shackelford, TheklaThekla Shackelford

1998	Campbell, Marianne BoggsMarianne Boggs Campbell Garrison, CaroleCarole Garrison Hollister, NancyNancy Hollister Jones, StephanieStephanie Jones Kay, Bettye RuthBettye Ruth Kay Ross-Lee, BarbaraBarbara Ross-Lee Mackiewicz, AudreyAudrey Mackiewicz Palasics, KathyKathy Palasics Quinn, Margaret DianeMargaret Diane Quinn Seiberling, HenriettaHenrietta Seiberling Taylor, Mary EmilyMary Emily Taylor Varga, VirginiaVirginia Varga Woods, JacquelineJacqueline Woods Zimpher, Nancy LuskNancy Lusk Zimpher

1999	Behrensmeyer, MaryJoMaryJo Behrensmeyer Costilla, AlvinaAlvina Costilla Deal, SarahSarah Deal Doren, ElectraElectra Doren Flowers, DaisyDaisy Flowers Glenn, AnnieAnnie Glenn Hamilton, AnnAnn Hamilton Hoover, CaroleCarole Hoover Horn, Cheryl HanCheryl Han Horn Latham, CarolCarol Latham Linenkugel, NancyNancy Linenkugel Marsh, Marie BarrettMarie Barrett Marsh Parham, MarjorieMarjorie Parham Regula, MaryMary Regula Rubin, Lee LenoreLee Lenore Rubin Stowe, Harriet BeecherHarriet Beecher Stowe Thornton, Jerry SueJerry Sue Thornton Voinovich, JanetJanet Voinovich

2000–2009

2000	Ashbaugh, PaigePaige Ashbaugh Collins, Maude CharlesMaude Charles Collins Dambrot, FayeFaye Dambrot de Leon, MargaritaMargarita de Leon Fletcher, Patricia LouisePatricia Louise Fletcher Harrington, Jean PatriceJean Patrice Harrington Hoffman, ShirleyShirley Hoffman Kazel, DorothyDorothy Kazel Majidzadeh, FarahFarah Majidzadeh Martin, AdaAda Martin Porter, LorleLorle Porter Samaniego, LannaLanna Samaniego Taylor, YvonneYvonne Taylor Wong, MargaretMargaret Wong Zane, BettyBetty Zane

2001	Boreczky, RebeccaRebecca Boreczky Casement, Frances JenningsFrances Jennings Casement Davis, Ruth L.Ruth L. Davis Ford, LucilleLucille Ford Gray, Susan F.Susan F. Gray Harrison, KathleenKathleen Harrison Hughes, Adella PrentissAdella Prentiss Hughes Jackson, Janet E.Janet E. Jackson Kamenshek, Dottie KammieDottie Kammie Kamenshek Levin, MaxineMaxine Levin Long, IreneIrene Long MacDonell, MarthaMartha MacDonell Matesich, Mary AndrewMary Andrew Matesich Powell, ElizabethElizabeth Powell Pryce, DeborahDeborah Pryce Sexton, MariaMaria Sexton Walters, FarahFarah Walters Washington, Georgeta BlebeaGeorgeta Blebea Washington

2002	Barker, JudyJudy Barker Buchholzer, Frances SeiberlingFrances Seiberling Buchholzer Campbell, Joan BrownJoan Brown Campbell Frankenberg, NancyNancy Frankenberg Hart-Deming, ZellZell Hart-Deming Helsel, ElsieElsie Helsel Horstman, Katie T.Katie T. Horstman Hwang, JennieJennie Hwang Lewis, Cathy MonroeCathy Monroe Lewis Robertson, Viola StartzmanViola Startzman Robertson Spielman, StefanieStefanie Spielman Sullivan, KathrynKathryn Sullivan

2003	Bailey, SheilaSheila Bailey Blunden, Jeraldyne KilbornJeraldyne Kilborn Blunden Carter, ShannonShannon Carter Fleming, LuceilleLuceille Fleming Gonzalez-Sanabria, OlgaOlga Gonzalez-Sanabria Janis, ElsieElsie Janis Lenski, LoisLois Lenski Mosley-Thompson, EllenEllen Mosley-Thompson Nelson, CathyCathy Nelson Scott, Evlyn GrayEvlyn Gray Scott Williams, YvonneYvonne Williams

2007	Brugler, Rogers MargaretRogers Margaret Brugler Chatfield, JuliaJulia Chatfield Hastings, LucilleLucille Hastings Howard, LillieLillie Howard Jorgenson, Mary AnnMary Ann Jorgenson Mahaney, JoyceJoyce Mahaney Schlotfeldt, RozellaRozella Schlotfeldt Smith, Katherine MayKatherine May Smith Wang, FlorenceFlorence Wang

2008	Baunach, DorothyDorothy Baunach Black, CarrieCarrie Black Bosca, CaroCaro Bosca Brown, Yvette McGeeYvette McGee Brown Crane, LoannLoann Crane Durgin, JoanJoan Durgin Gibbs, CarolCarol Gibbs Johnson, BillieBillie Johnson Lei, JihJih Lei Magee, ElizabethElizabeth Magee Rajadhyaksha, KasturiKasturi Rajadhyaksha Salamon, JulieJulie Salamon Wheatly, MicheleMichele Wheatly

2009	Collins, GailGail Collins Davis, Pamela B.Pamela B. Davis de Groh, KimKim de Groh Gray, Beverly J.Beverly J. Gray Howard, SharonSharon Howard Kuhre, CarolCarol Kuhre Manning, VirginiaVirginia Manning Moss, HelenHelen Moss Rycus, JudithJudith Rycus Sandusky, Mary AdelaideMary Adelaide Sandusky Watson, GlennaGlenna Watson Williams, BernettBernett Williams Williamson, CeliaCelia Williamson

2010–2019

2010	Alvarene, OwensOwens Alvarene Channing, Tenenbaum GayleTenenbaum Gayle Channing Chapman, Dorothy McAlpin MaguireDorothy McAlpin Maguire Chapman Fergus, BarbaraBarbara Fergus Kearns, Merle GraceMerle Grace Kearns Lee, Rebecca J.Rebecca J. Lee McClelland, NinaNina McClelland Moresky, LanaLana Moresky Otto, Martha PotterMartha Potter Otto Ruppert, ElizabethElizabeth Ruppert Singh, RitaRita Singh

2011	Boyce, Cheryl A.Cheryl A. Boyce Flick, Elizabeth H.Elizabeth H. Flick Harper, FrancesFrances Harper Hollis, Brenda J.Brenda J. Hollis Juhas, Mary C.Mary C. Juhas Luckner, Kleia R.Kleia R. Luckner Lyons, Valerie J.Valerie J. Lyons Noelker, Linda S.Linda S. Noelker Vonderhaar, CarrieCarrie Vonderhaar

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