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I knew Mary LaFetra the founder of the Rainbird Corp. A neighbor of hers invented the iconic RB sprinkler in his barn in Glendora, CA in 1940. She and her husband went into business with him making the sprinkler which was primarily designed to water the then prevalent Orange groves.Oranges were big business in s CA after 1900. They soon bought the neighbor out for $1000. Mary's husband passed away where she took over and grew the company into what it has become. Production was in Glendora then moving to Azusa and then into Mexico starting in the late 70's. I met Mary while on a junket to Hong Kong, where we had a nice conversation. She passed away a little more than a year after that trip of pancreatic cancer. After her death her son's took over complete control of the company. Mary during her life was a philanthropist donating two homes to Azusa Pacific University and making a large donation to La Verne College where she fulfilled a dream of getting a college degree while she was in her 70's.