Marion Donovan died from heart disease at the age of 81 at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Her death marked the end of a career characterized by innovation, particularly in the realm of household solutions and disposable diapers.

Marion O'Brien Donovan was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Anne and Miles O'Brien. This marked the beginning of the life of an influential American inventor and entrepreneur known for her contributions to creating the disposable diaper.