Mary Ann Cinowalt Obituary

Mary Ann was born in Pittsburgh to Margaret and Andrew Cinowalt. She is survived by her husband, John Ramos; daughter, Joy; granddaughter, Celeste; sisters, Pattie and Sue; brother, Dan; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Walt, Robert, Louis, Kathy, Carol, Yolanda, and Josephine.

She was predeceased by her parents; brothers Bill and Roy; and many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

After leaving Pittsburgh, Mary Ann lived in the Los Angeles area in the 1970s and then in Napa County, California, for nearly 30 years before settling in Albuquerque in 2008.

Small in stature but large in presence, she was widely described as a force—fearless, selfless, caring, kind, gentle, and fiercely principled. She was never one to stand on ceremony or hold back for the sake of formality or protocol.

Mary Ann lit up around children, always greeting them with a smile and a kind word. The great joys of her life were her daughter and granddaughter.

A lover of nature, especially animals and birds, she mourned every pet she lost. Her final companion was Lucy Boo, a Pug-Beagle rescue she often said had rescued her.

Mary Ann was a stargazer, a “moonchild,” a marcher, and a protestor who championed her beliefs publicly. She loved carrying signs, placing yard signs, marching in parades, and writing letters to the editor. She felt a deep responsibility to help make the world better.

A lifelong feminist devoted to action, she took on countless causes. In Napa County, she recognized the lack of resources for battered women and, while working full-time, helped lead efforts to raise awareness and funding. She joined others in presenting a petition of over 2,000 signatures to the Mayor of Napa, a catalyst for establishing the city’s first safe house for battered women. She later co-facilitated a support group and remained committed to this work, of which she was justly proud.

Mary Ann often reminded her family that “life isn’t fair; it just gives you a chance.” She devoted her time and resources to organizations that feed, protect, and heal—and that strive for peace.

When faced with news of tragedy anywhere in the world, she not only offered what support she could but urged others to “send grace to the world.”

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor her life make a donation to any nonprofit that feeds people or to the Carter Center in Atlanta.

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