LOS ANGELES -- Leah Bettelman, often regarded as the materfamilias of southern California's coin-op trade, has died. She was 94.
Bettelman was principal of C.A. Robinson & Co., a former coin machine distributorship serving California. Founded in 1936 by Charles A. Robinson, the eponymous distributorship became one of the nation's premier coin machine equipment dealers after Leah's husband, Al Bettelman, bought the company. Al died in 1984 at age 70.
At its peak, C.A. Robinson & Co. maintained its headquarters in Los Angeles, a satellite branch in San Francisco and an extensive street route serving southern California. The company closed a year ago, ending its 76-year reign as one of the amusement industry's longest-running and most respected distributorships. Leah's sons, Sandy and Ira Bettelman, managed the business during its last 30 years.
The American Amusement Machine Association honored Leah Bettelman as Woman of the Year in 1993.
Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Hillside Mortuary on 6001 Centinela Ave. in Los Angeles, CA.
