Betty Thatcher Oros (born Elizabeth Anna Thatcher, April 18, 1917, Elyria, OhioAugust 19, 2001) was an American automobile designer.

Education

Betty Thatcher Oros graduated from Elyria High School in 1935. She attended the Cleveland School of Arts, today’s

Cleveland Institute of Art The Cleveland Institute of Art, previously Cleveland School of Art, is a private college focused on art and design and located in Cleveland, Ohio. History The college was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women, at firs ...

. She majored in Industrial Design, graduating with honors.

Work at Hudson

Hudson Motor Company The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other branded automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., from 1909 until 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Hudson name was continued through ...

was among the first automotive companies to employ women designers full-time. They wanted a woman to contribute a female point of view to automotive design, hired Oros as the first female American automotive designer in 1939. Oros designed the 1939 Hudson Big Boy truck that was based on the

Hudson Commodore The Hudson Commodore is an automobile that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1941 and 1952. During its time in production, the Commodore was the largest and most luxurious Hudson model. First generation ...

sedan, but "turned it into a beautifully streamlined pickup." Her contributions to the 1941 Hudson included exterior trim with side lighting, interior instrument panel, interiors, and interior trim fabrics.

Resignation

Oros designed for Hudson Motor Co. from 1939 into 1941, when she and

Joe Oros Joseph E. Oros Jr. ( ro, Oroș; June 15, 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio – August 2, 2012) was an automobile stylist for Ford Motor Company over a period of 21 years — known as the Chief Designer of the team at Ford that styled the original Mu ...

were married. As Joe Oros was working in the Cadillac Studio at GM, Betty resigned from Hudson to avoid a conflict of interest. The Oroses had five children, Joe III, Christina, Janet, Mary, and John. She later served on the Santa Barbara Museum Board and Symphony League Board. Betty Thatcher Oros died on August 19, 2001.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oros, Betty Thatcher Hudson Motor Car Company American automobile designers 1917 births 2001 deaths Cleveland School of Art alumni