Ann Tobin Riley Ninny Miss Rowland

A descendent of the first Canary Islanders, she was born in San Antonio, Texas on April 7, 1923. As a youngster, she lived in Honolulu, Hawaii, but returned to San Antonio and graduated from Jefferson High School.

Her grandfather was Sheriff William G. Tobin and was Fire Chief of San Antonio until retirement. Mayor John Tobin was her great-uncle and her uncle Edgar Tobin was a World War I Ace and pioneer in aerial photography. Her father, Lowell M. Riley, was a past Commandant of the West Texas Military Institute. Her mother remarried, and her step-father was Col K.C. Greenwald, a world class polo player.

On December 6, 1941, at the young age of 17, Ann married Stephen Moorhead, heir to the National Cash Register fortune.

While at the wedding lunch, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and war was announced to all the attendees ~ the marriage was doomed. After their divorce, Col. Riley was deployed to Europe and was stationed with the Embassies in Vienna, Prague and Paris.

Having had an excellent relationship with Col. Riley, Ann and her sister Jane, handled all the entertaining for him when he returned to Washington, D.C. which gave her an excellent background for manners classes in her future.

During the dude ranch craze of the forties, Ann and Jane Riley worked for Joske's department store in their Frontier Shop designing and modeling western wear for the city of San Antonio and Bandera, Texas.

While modeling, Ann was spotted by the Los Angeles Company of Gene Autry, singer and movie star, and was asked to be in his western shows in New York and Boston.

She was under contract, with six other girls from Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona to wear western clothes at all times; be in performances at Madison Square Garden every evening, visit hospitals, schools and children's homes as well as interviews on the radio and for newspapers.

Upon expiration of her contract, she signed with the John Robert Powers Agency and remained in New York.

She continued her career and was photographed by Richard Avedon and appeared in Glamour and Mademoiselle magazines.

Ann was the owner and operator of the Bride's Shop and Sunday's Child, a clothing store for small children.

She taught Etiquette Classes for Adults and Children, educated Corporate Instructors and also taught the art of etiquette to Priests graduating from the Oblate seminary.

Ann initiated the Alamo Heights Thanksgiving Parade which continues to this day. She unsuccessfully but enthusiastically made a run for Mayor of Alamo Heights.

At the age of 75, she was approached by Tanji Patton to be a frequent guest on her television program, San Antonio Living and continued for five years.

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Ann Tobin; granddaughter, Josephine Tobin Cothren and husband, Chuck; grandson, Capt. Walter A. "Julio" Maessen III, USMC; her half-sister, Brooks Riley of Munich, Germany and New York; numerous cousins and many dear friends.

The family expresses their gratitude and appreciation for the loving care to Miss Ninny by the nuns and caregivers at the Villa and extended care at the Incarnate Word Center.

Miss Ninny touched all those who knew her. She was deeply loved and her vivacious personality will be missed.

Honorary Pallbearers are Howard Peak, Jack Paul Leon, E. C. Parker III, Chuck Cothren, Julio Maessen, John K. Matthews, David Lake, Chris McDaniel and Pic Swartz.

Those who wish may make contributions to the San Antonio Academy, 117 E. French Place, San Antonio, TX 78212 and/or Ruby's Kitchen at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 315 E. Pecan, San Antonio, TX 78205.