Creator of the pink plastic flamingo dies at 79

Donald Featherstone, creator of the pink plastic lawn flamingo, has died.

His wife, Nancy, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that her husband died Monday at an elder care facility in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 79.

Featherstone was working at Union Products in 1957 when he created the pink plastic flamingo, long a symbol of American lawn kitsch. Millions of the birds have been sold.

He worked for Union Products for 43 years, creating many plastic products. He was president of the company when he retired in 1999.

Featherstone is survived by his wife, two children, four grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.