Monica Ann Neumann von Héthárs, also known as Baroness Monica von Neumann,[1] (née Ford; June 15, 1964 – March 5, 2019), was an American socialite, philanthropist, and businesswoman. She worked as a fashion model and dancer before marrying John Neumann Ritter von Héthárs in 1985.
Early life
Monica von Neumann was born into an African-American working-class family in Detroit, Michigan.[2] As a child, she moved with her mother to Los Angeles. She studied dance at the Roland Dupree Dance Academy.[3] She attended Fairfax High School in Fairfax District, Los Angeles.
Career and philanthropy
Von Neumann danced professionally before getting married, going on tour with Nina Simone and Devo.[4] She also worked as a model for Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, walking in runway shows and standing in for fittings at ateliers in Paris.[5][6]
In 2010, she launched the luxury home-goods retailer Baroness von Neumann Candles, which sold high-end scented candles.[7][8][4][9][10] The candle logo was the Von Neumann family crest.[3] In December 2010, she was a guest on BET's The Mo'Nique Show.[2]
In 2013, she was considered for a spot as a cast member of the American reality television series Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.[11][12][13] She reportedly met with producers but ended up not joining the cast.[10][14][15]
In February 2013, von Neumann, along with Daphne Guinness and Lynn Ban, donated a collection of her shoes to the Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology's Shoe Obsession exhibit.[16] Von Neumann was featured in the documentary God Save My Shoes, which followed extreme shoe collectors.[6]
She was a patron of Inner-City Arts and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.[3][6] She was also involved with Hollyrod Foundation, an organization that offers support to families with children that have autism. As a patron of the organizations March To The Top and AINA, von Neumann traveled to Kenya and assisted in establishing an orphanage.[17]
When she was eighteen years old she was introduced to John Neumann Ritter von Héthárs, the son of Heinrich Neumann Ritter von Héthárs, by Sonny Bono at a dinner party in Palm Springs.[20] She began a relationship with Ritter von Neumann, who was the first importer of Volkswagens to the United States.[12][10] After they got engaged, she attended a finishing school in Switzerland.[2] She and Ritter von Neumann married in 1985. They had one daughter, Dorian.[9] Her husband's family, the von Neumanns, are a Hungarian Jewish family that was elevated into the nobility by the Austrian emperor. While a branch of her husband's family held the rank of Freiherr (baron), her husband did not. He held the hereditary title Ritter, which is the German equivalent to a baronet or hereditary knight. Her husband died from cancer in 2003.[21][4][22]
Prior to his death, Von Neumann's husband allegedly had a son from an extramarital affair with Charlotte Vega. In 2010, she was involved in a legal battle against Charlotte's son, John Vega, regarding his paternity.[23]
Death
Monica von Neumann died on March 5, 2019, due to health complications. She reportedly was in financial trouble at the time of her death.[24] She is buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery.
References
^Monica von Neumann is often incorrectly referred to in the press as a baroness. While she was a member of the Austrian nobility through her marriage, her husband held the rank of Ritter (similar to a baronet or hereditary knight) and not the rank of Freiherr (baron).
