▁the ▁company ▁to ▁his ▁sons ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁( the ▁company ▁closed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁after ▁an ▁industrial ▁accident ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁bought ▁out ▁by ▁compet itor ▁AR C ▁Sport ing ▁Good s ). ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁for ▁bre eding ▁rare ▁Sh ire ▁horses ▁( help ing ▁to ▁increase ▁their ▁overall ▁population ▁from ▁just ▁ 5 0 ▁horses ▁when ▁he ▁began ), ▁and ▁for ▁opening ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁Sh ire land ▁theme ▁park . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Sm rt ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁His ▁father ▁died ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁four ▁years ▁old ▁and ▁he ▁had ▁several ▁different ▁step f athers ▁growing ▁up . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁advance ▁past ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁grade , ▁however ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁eventually ▁become ▁a ▁self - made ▁million aire ▁and ▁business man . ▁Sm rt ▁later ▁married ▁Mary ▁D . ▁Rose ▁and ▁had ▁four ▁children , ▁Thomas , ▁Michael , ▁Mary ▁and ▁John . ▁ ▁In vent ions ▁ ▁Sm rt ' s ▁most ▁notable ▁in vention ▁is ▁the ▁ups ide - down ▁a eros ol ▁sp ray ▁paint ▁can : ▁a ▁can ▁of ▁sp ray ▁paint ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁applied ▁while ▁holding ▁the ▁can ▁ups ide ▁down ▁( which ▁is ▁impossible ▁with ▁typical ▁sp ray ▁paint ▁can s ). ▁This ▁is ▁widely ▁used ▁in ▁municipal ▁and ▁highway ▁applications ▁for ▁out lin ing ▁par king ▁lots , ▁turn ▁lan es , ▁center ▁lines , ▁cross