Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Anne Marion
Anne Marion, the Fort Worth philanthropist who hailed from a family with deep ties in Texas oil and ranching, died this Tuesday at the age of 81 in California, according to the Associated Press and several media outlets.
Marion advocated for the expansion and advancement of the local museum scene in Fort Worth during her lifetime, and was the founder of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her passing was lamented by the director of the O’Keeffe museum, Cody Hartley, in a statement reported by the AP: Marion was called a “passionate arts patron, determined leader, and generous philanthropist.”
A statement released by former President George W. Bush lauded Marion as “a true Texan, a great patron of the arts, a generous member of our community, and a person of elegance and strength.
“Texans have lost a patriot, and Laura and I have lost a friend.”
Marion’s great-grandfather, Samuel Burk Burnett, was the founder of the 6666 Ranch in Texas near Guthrie. Known as "Little Anne" in childhood, the ranch's website says, Marion served as president of Burnett Ranches, LLC, which includes the Four Sixes Ranch.
"At a young age, Little Anne spent summers on the Four Sixes, earning the respect of the cowboys as she learned to ride horses and do the things they did," a biography on the ranch website reads.
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame celebrated Marion in a profile as a woman who "contributes to the cultural expansion of Fort Worth and other communities across the nation." She labored to preserve the Western lifestyle and heritage, according to the museum, and often enjoyed Western swing dancing, traveling, reading, and more.
