Nancy H. Holmes

Nancy was born in Washington, D.C. on February 20, 1921 and led an extraordinary life working amongst the rich and famous. Her high school years were in Maryland, and the remote territory of Hawaii, before returning to Washington and New York where she became a John Robert Powers model, the super-models of that era.

During WW II, she worked as a code clerk for the U.S. Army in Miami. After the war, her legendary beauty and charismatic charm sparked a career and life all over the world. She was the first American model in Paris after the war when French designer, Pierre Balmain, spotted her modeling at Garfinckels. In Paris, she met the famous war photographer Robert Capa, who offered to show her around. They became great friends and Nancy learned from him how to be behind the camera instead of in front of it.

In 1949, she went to The New York Journal American as a fashion editor, and then to LOOK magazine for several years. In the 1960s and 70s Nancy moved to Europe, living in Switzerland and England with her two children while expanding a career as a photojournalist with Columbia Pictures. As a photographer, she befriended many of the major celebrities of that era: Rex Harrison, Kirk Douglas, David Niven, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Sean Connery.

As a writer, Nancy wrote magazine articles about great homes, great yachts and some of the richest people in the world including Baron Heinrich Von Thiessen, Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, and J. Paul Getty, who became personal friends. She also covered Europe's great soccer players for The London Daily Mail.

During the late 1970's and 1980's, she did publicity for Pan American Airlines and The Regent Hotels, was a contributing editor for Town and Country, and between assignments wrote books to include The Dream Boats 1977, The Big Girls 1982, and the best-seller Nobody's Fault 1990. She was editor-at-large of Worth magazine in New York from its founding in 1992 until returning to San Antonio in 2003. Even then, at 82 years of age, Nancy jumped in as a contributing writer to Brillant Magazine, and as a public relations consultant for U.S. Global Investors.

New York Post columnist Liz Smith referred to Nancy as the 'Texas Tornado' because she was always a whirlwind of activity. Society columnist 'Suzy' observed that when Nancy Holmes entered a room, the temperature instantly increased ten degrees.

W. Randall Jones, the founder of Worth Magazine remembers how alluring she was when they first met. Nancy was a 'young' 70 years old and considering retirement. He was launching a new magazine for the wealthiest Americans, and a mutual friend insisted that they meet, telling Jones: 'Nancy Holmes knows all of them and more important, all of them know Nancy.' Jones and Holmes met in New York, and he remembers that as she walked into the room, time seemingly stopped as everyone began to admire her. Half the room knew her of course, and the other half was asking, 'who is that famous woman?' Three hours later, Mr. Jones was so enchanted by her that he said, 'I don't know whether to hire you or marry you!' 'In many ways I did both,' said Jones. 'We were instant best friends as well as colleagues. In retrospect, I realize that I never knew anyone until I knew Nancy Holmes. She had the most extraordinary ability to put people together who would like, respect and enjoy one another. It was one of her most special gifts.'

At 21, Nancy married West Point graduate, Alden George 'Bud' Thompson, the father of her two children. She later married Fleishman Yeast heir, Christian R. Holmes, with whom she led a magical high society life during the heyday of Texas oil in the 1950's. She and her family made life-long friends in San Antonio during these years. It was after her divorce from Mr. Holmes that she became the world traveler, living and working in London, Rome, Gstaad, Palm Springs, Hong Kong, New York, and movie sites in Africa, Afghanistan, Spain, Yugoslavia, and Hollywood. She called many places home, but concurred with her mother who always told her, 'if you're not in New York, you're just camping out.'

She is survived by a son, Peter A. Thompson of McQueeney, Texas, and Vail, Colorado; her son's fiancée, Heidi Kenny; and a daughter, Brooke Thompson Negley of Adkins, Texas; three granddaughters: Emily Negley Martin and Nancy Negley Krissoff of San Francisco and Sydney Negley Mulder of Virginia Beach, VA; one great grandson, Harry Martin; and her beloved feisty Jack Russell terriers Annie and Max.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, William and Marion Hartung. The family is grateful for the loving care provided by her long-time friend Kathy Nicholas, Becky Guajardo at Parklane West at the Towers, and the staff of caregivers at Odyssey Healthcare of San Antonio.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to an organization that she loved, Last Chance Forever, a birds of prey conservancy, at P.O. Box 460993, San Antonio, TX 78246-0993 or because Nancy loved music to National Public Radio, at 635 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 2001.