Bill Case and Ann Walker Theater Collection

Bill Case was born March 1, 1905, in Mississippi; he moved to San Antonio with his family as a child. Case was a talented musician, and played piano, accordion, and saxophone. During the 1930s he played piano at nightclubs around the country, including in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles. During World War II Case served as a radio operator in the United States Merchant Marines. In 1949 he returned to San Antonio, and opened Bill Case Sound, a store for radio and stereo equipment which he ran until 1989. Case was an avid supporter of the San Antonio Symphony and the Opera Guild. Case never married, but had a long-term relationship with Ann Walker. He died of a stroke in January, 2000.

Ann Walker was born in Missouri on October 10, 1906, the youngest of seven children. Her parents died when she was a child, and she was raised by her elder sister. Walker lived in St. Louis, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, working primarily as an administrative assistant. She was briefly married, but divorced. Walker moved to Mexico City, where she was secretary for the American ambassador. She moved to San Antonio and opened a travel agency, Travel Advisors. Walker served as president of the San Antonio chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents. Walker was an active supporter of the San Antonio Opera Guild, and organized trips for members of the organization. In her later years, Walker had a long-term relationship with Bill Case, though they never married. She died of cancer on February 24, 1991.