Ann Moulden Ingram

Ann Moulden Ingram (nee Benjamin), a child of God, passed over on February 20, 2022 at age 90. Ann was born and raised in Baltimore and was a longtime resident of Sherwood Forest. Ann is survived by her beloved sons Robert L. Moulden, Jr., William B. Moulden, C. Steven Surprenant and their wives Lisa S. Moulden, Barbara B. Moulden, and Elizabeth R. Surprenant; along with her cherished grandchildren Robert B. Moulden, Elizabeth M. Smith, Alexandra M. Cockerham, Robert W. Moulden, and her great-grandchildren Arthur Cockerham, Louis Cockerham, Logan Smith, and Noah Smith. She is predeceased by her husband’s Robert L. Moulden and Sidney O. Ingram.

A funeral mass will be offered on Saturday, March 26th @ 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 109 Duke of Gloucester, Annapolis, MD 21401. A private burial will be held later at Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to the Sherwood Forest Endowment, 134 Sherwood Forest Road, Sherwood Forest, MD 21405.

An online guestbook is available at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com

Additional Remembrances

Ann Benjamin Moulden Ingram (nee Benjamin) died in peace at age 90 on February 20th at 1:30 a.m. with a rosary in her hand. She was born on July 3, 1931 at 2:45 a.m. in Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore. The daughter of a civil engineer and Broadway chorus girl who both moved to Baltimore during the Great Depression to share a rowhouse with Ann’s grandmother at 1919 St. Paul Street. Also in residence was Ann’s great Uncle Buddy, shellshocked from the Great War.

Upon the sudden death of her father in 1933 and the subsequent disabling depression of her mom, she was taken in by the Seventh Baptist Church (corner of St. Paul Street & North Avenue), later baptized at 13, and fully saved at age 23. She too was adopted by all three North Avenue neighborhood theater owners. She was given free admission and solace and escape as a little girl. During the 1930s she would watch movies and newsreels twice in each. Her love of movies as an escape has transcended to her children, along with her children’s children. Courtesy note, she never asked for concessions and when she began to date - the boys always paid.

A practical tip from Ann. When you are really tired and feeling low, watch a movie you’ve seen before. You can allow yourself the freedom to fall asleep and when you wake up later in the show you haven’t missed anything and you know exactly where you are. Relaxing and affirming when low.

A take away from Baltimore’s 7th Baptist Church. They trained her beginning at age 8 to be a near operatic soprano. Ann was always a member of church choirs from 1939 to when her voice failed in 2015 at age 84. She later with her family moved to University Baptist Church. Upon her late life conversion to Catholicism, she sang for the Pope in 2008. She always believed that Jesus was exactly who He said He was and that the Bible’s message was the inerrant word of God. She was a student of the Bible having read many versions more than 80+ times. And, she believed in the instruction to tithe - for her 10% of her gross income. From 1934 - 1958 she was the B&O Railroad poster and calendar card girl. She was their prayer warrior for their “Keep my daddy safe.” campaigns.

During this same time, she studied the piano at the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute (Mount Vernon). She opined to her grandmother to change her lessons to soprano voice lessons, but her grandmother (Nana 1) could only afford one. Her Nana believed that a proper girl should be able play the piano. A great lament of Ann was her missed opportunity to perfect her natural voice gift to a professional opportunity.

Beginning at age 11 (1942) she swam for Baltimore’s Lakewood Swim Club. At 17 she met her future husband, Bob Moulden of Maryland Avenue & Poly High School (North Avenue), at the South Atlantic Swim Championships held at the Lakewood pool, 20 August 1948. He won the 880 championships. Everyone celebrated at The Summit, off Falls Road just outside of strict Baltimore standards. At, The Summit, if you could get to the bar - you could have a drink.

1st dance, Embraceable You. Ann in a Kelly green dress that belonged to her older 1st cousin, Lorraine. Her grandmother (Nana 1) lowered the hem and took in the waist for this date. Given the importance, her cousin wasn’t asked. Bob, in a scotch plaid suit with a regimental tie. Both great dancers, a good time had by all.

Historical note about, Nana. Ann’s family history has been kept and remembered now for 400 years. Her G14 grandfather immigrated to America in 1620 to escape persecution in France as a French Huguenot (Protestant). Over the past 400 years only two women have been known as a Nana, power matriarchs whose teaching stories are retold generation to generation. The first Lillie Ann Mizell (Nana 1) born 1871 and Ann Moulden Ingram (Nana 2) born 1931. An example quote from Nana 1 c.1937 (height of the Great Depression), “If you can see way your clear always afford the luxuries, because the necessities always seem to take care of themselves.”

Ann graduated from the all-girl Eastern High School in 1949 in the top 10% of her class. Both she and her future husband, Bob, attended grade school and junior high at Roland Park (PS 233) as did their future sons. Bob went on to Poly as did their sons. Ann is alumni of the University of Maryland, member of the Kappa Delta sorority and the university’s Alpha Lambda Delta academic society. She kept current with her graduating sisters from Eastern High School, as well those from Maryland’s Kappa Delta sorority. Her last Eastern High School alumni event was 2013 - attended by more than 50. Her Kappa Delta events similar.

She left college to marry the love of her life, Bob Moulden who grew up in a rowhouse on Maryland Avenue. While at University of Maryland, Bob, was an All-American midfield lacrosse and member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Upon graduation he worked for his father’s Baltimore business, B.L. Moulden & Son. Then later founded his own contract company.

Ann lived a robust middle class homemaker life magnified by God. As a homemaker she raised strong boys and cared for the generations prior to her. Ann served Baltimore as the first female prison minister to the male population at both the Maryland State Penitentiary (Baltimore City Jail on Eager Street) and the youth jail, the Maryland State Training School for Boys. Ann, was an influential and matriarchal charismatic power. Once during a prison riot, she was encircled and protected by 6 felons. In the moment one said, Don’t worry Miss Ann no one will touch you today. A middle-class homemaker who served God.

She too served for years as: Sunday School teacher, evangelism trainer, Red Cross and YWCA bridge instructor, Meals on Wheels driver. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), her local Mordecai Gist Chapter was located on Roland Avenue. During the 1960s she held every office to include Regent.

Ann as a competitive bridge player became a Diamond Life Master who won many championships. She was an American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) certified director who too hosted tournaments many at the downtown Emerson and Lord Baltimore hotels. She once played against Omar Sharif (movie star who played Dr. Zhivago) though lost. Her take away, When he deliberately looked at you, you felt that you were the only one in the world.

Additionally, she was the Baltimore (Keswick Road) Civil Defense Officer during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). She was trained and certified by the city and had the hand crank air raid siren for the neighborhood. Her children were all trained too by their teachers at Roland Park Elementary to Duck ‘n Cover. While the nuclear war duck ‘n cover turtle commercials are criticized today, in the day it was the only citizen response to nuclear combat.

The nuclear war shelter for Keswick Road (38th to 40th Streets) in 1962 - 1964 was her basement. Larger ones were located across the street at the Maryland Casualty Insurance Company, now The Rotunda. These private Civil Defense (CD) underground catacombs were fully stocked with space for all executives and most company staff.

Ann and her family moved to Annapolis in 1970. She immediately joined the choir and became a member of the Sherwood Forest Club, Annapolis Yacht Club, and Severn Town Club. Ann, as a long Sherwood member served the community for decades to include: Activities Committee chairwoman, editor of Sherwood’s Greensheet, director / actor / playwright of many Talent Shows, recording secretary for the Club Board, and sang for decades in the summer Worship Services choir. She also enjoyed Sherwood golf, bowling, dances and parties.

In 1977, Ann’s 1st husband suddenly died at the age of 48. Upon the death of her husband Ann went to work for the first time to make ends meet. Jobs included: McEwen, Hauck & Kupstas, (Annapolis) receptionist; Peterbilt Truck Sales (Baltimore), office manager. She could type at 66 words per minute (wpm) and take dictation at 80 wpm. Ann could operate all business machines of the day to include even fixing the copier.

Later upon the acquisition of experience and moving to Albuquerque, NM with her second husband she worked for the Hoffman Town Baptist Church as an administrator for their Evangelism Ministry; then the University of New Mexico’s, Anthropology Department as Administrative Assistant for Graduate Studies.

Her favorite job was being an evangelical outreach minister. One family tell, she was working the Sunday visitor church cards for second-step home visits. On one such outreach visit there was a gate clearly marked as, No Solicitors - Warning Dogs. Of course, Ann, being on a mission of God dismissed it to greet her new friends. Nana note, Strangers are friends that you haven’t met.

While ignoring temporal warnings, she opened the gate, then crossed the front yard for an evangelical house call. She awoke a pair of Dobermans in their afternoon siesta. Both did their job and in tandem charged her. Nana 2, in normal fashion, and at tone, admonished them - You boys, you can stop that right now! Both dogs, felt her, and stood down - as God would have it. The mom who answered the knock at her door was surprised at any knock at her door. She listened to Ann during this church visit though it is to lost time whether this young mom joined the church. Within family ranks the take away is that Ann is fearless and by example we should be too.

As noted, Ann was a student of the Bible. The family has retained the 48 Bibles that she made notes, some read more than once. The only one that she did not write study notes in is the family Bible handed down from Ann’s G5 grandfather (1780). This Bible, however, is annotated with family births, deaths, marriages, even pressed flowers - most notably one from Nana 1’s funeral. Ann’s favorite scriptures:

Engrave on my headstone: 2 Timothy 4:7, I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

Read at my funeral mass: Psalm 23, Psalm 121, John 14, and Romans 14. Additionally sing: Amazing Grace, The Strife Is O’er, and Abide With Me.

Other favorites over the years:

• John 3:16: For God so loved the world ...

• Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you ...

• Philippians 4:13: I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

• Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not ...

• Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world ...

• Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer...

• Matthew 28:19: Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations ...

Ann had a full and consequential life blessed by God. She raised up strong children and by consequence grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She leaves this Earthly plain blessed by tight family ties spanning generations. Her family stories and lessons will be handed down one generation to next and remembered as - Nana.