Hollis Cheshire, 60; led development office at military academy

Services will be Saturday, April 23, for Hollis MacVaugh Cheshire, 60, of Malvern, former director of development at Valley Forge Military Academy & College.

She died Sunday, March 27, of cancer at home.

For the last six years, Mrs. Cheshire, known as "Holly," led the development office at the Wayne school. She was especially adept at fund-raising, sending out scores of handwritten letters with a genuine, straightforward tone that recipients liked, said her daughter, Kate Hollis Plantier.

In 2013, the school honored Mrs. Cheshire with its Certificate of Merit.

In 2015, she was inducted into the Order of Anthony Wayne, the highest award that can be bestowed on a member of the military academy and college community.

Later last year, in a special ceremony, the academy and college named her an Honorary Alumnus Class of 2015, in recognition of her success in development and enthusiastic dedication to the institution.

Mrs. Cheshire graduated from Germantown Academy in 1973 and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1977.

She went on to a succession of jobs in development at the University of Pennsylvania, Germantown Academy, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Malvern Preparatory School, and finally, Valley Forge Military Academy & College.

Mrs. Cheshire led an exemplary life, her family said in a remembrance. "In her eyes, the glass was always half full."

Linda, Thomas, and Harrison Locke, who knew Mrs. Cheshire through Malvern Prep, remarked in an online guest book on her optimism and kindness.

"The students at Malvern Prep loved her, and on numerous occasions we watched them give her hugs and high fives when they saw her either at Stewart Hall or on campus.

"She always had special treats (chocolate chip cookies) on hand for those guys who stopped by to see her," the Locke family posted.

Mrs. Cheshire loved dogs, especially Roxie, her English bulldog. "We have been the recipients of hundreds of bulldog cards and wonderful emails from Holly," the Locke family wrote online.

Besides her daughter, she is survived by her husband, Jon Marcus Cheshire; her parents, Suzanne Hollis Lapp MacVaugh and Dr. Horace MacVaugh III; a son, Peter Arthur Plantier; a grandson; a sister; and a brother. Her former husband, Gary Arthur Plantier, also survives. Another sister died earlier.

A memorial service will be at noon Saturday, April 23, in the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion, 1001 Eagle Rd., Wayne. Burial is private.

Donations may be made to the Valley Forge Military Academy Forge Fund, 1001 Eagle Rd., Wayne, Pa. 19087, Attn: Development Office.

bcook@phillynews.com

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