Frances Darby of Mesquite, Texas, died June 17, 2007. She was 87.
In 1947, she began taking ceramics classes from a teacher across the
street. Her husband, Joseph, thought firing her ceramic and porcelain
pieces was too expensive, so he built her a kiln.
One kiln led to another, and she founded Paragon Industries in 1948,
eventually producing one of the first electric kilns in America. Over
the years, Paragon became the largest hobby kiln manufacturer in the
world.
Darby became known as a highly principled CEO constantly fighting
the “glass ceiling.” She fought the airlines when women were not
allowed in business class; challenged the banking industry when they
required a male cosigner on notes; fought for women business owners and
the expansion of equal rights.
She is survived by two sons, Michael of Pacific Palisades, Calif., and Joseph of Dallas.