Lorette Oglesby Hollinshed

Lorette Oglesby Hollinshed died July 19, 2019.

She and her identical twin sister, Lorene, were born on May 21, 1932 to George Andrew Oglesby and Abscilla Hobbs Oglesby of Morehead City, N.C. Soon after, the family moved to Hamilton, N.C.

Lorette graduated from Meredith College in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in English. She cherished her years at Meredith and returned often for alumni events.

In 1956, she married Vivian Edward Hollinshed, Jr., and they embarked on a rich, productive life together. In those early years, Lorette taught horseback riding lessons at Blue Springs Farm and English at Fayetteville Senior High School. She was deeply invested in the Fayetteville community and Holy Trinity Episcopal church, where she faithfully served on the altar guild, often creating spectacular flower arrangements and altar displays.

Lorette was the consummate gardener, carving an exquisite Japanese-style garden from the grapevine-infested lot she and Vivian purchased in 1958 in Vanstory Hills. Her garden complemented the contemporary home Vivian designed, with lush plantings and a koi pond—every room in the house had a beautiful view of the outdoors. She and Vivian also maintained a large vegetable garden, canning, freezing, and pickling much of each year’s harvest as well as enjoying home cooked family meals.

Lorette became involved during the very earliest days of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. She was instrumental in its founding and development. Some of her happiest hours were spent working in the garden and visiting with her many gardening buddies.

She was an accomplished seamstress and knitter who made most of her own clothes using designer patterns and fabrics.

Lorette was a Cumberland County Extension Master Gardener and an award-winning member of the Ikebana Society. She was also a member of the Town and Country Garden Club of Fayetteville, served on the board of the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo, N.C., and volunteered with Contact Telephone Ministries. Lorette enjoyed the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Cape Fear Regional Theater, among many other local cultural activities.

Lorette and Vivian were also active in the Lake Waccamaw, N.C., community, where they built a home on Canal Cove Road and were members of the Lake Waccamaw Sailing Club.

In the 1990s they built a home on Bald Head Island, where they enjoyed spending time with family and were involved with the Bald Head Island Conservancy.

Hearkening back to her roots as a North Carolina farm girl in Martin County, Lorette was always a hands-on gardener. She inspired awe among neighbors, friends, and even hired yard crews with her zeal to bring order to the natural world, never shying from the hard work required.

Lorette was a lover of all animals, especially her cats, Mopsy, Peanut, Junior, Fred, Blackie and Bobbi, who were her constant companions.

Lorette is survived by a daughter, Martha “Marty” Hollinshed Fisher and husband, Mitchell, of Durham; a son, Thomas Oglesby Hollinshed and Katherine Thompson Lange of Southern Pines; grandchildren Matthew Hollinshed Fisher and wife, Heather Relyea of Durham; and Lillian Fisher Watson and husband, Ryan, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Jacob Ross Lange of Charlotte and Sophia Katherine Lange of Manhattan, N.Y., and a great-grandson, Jackson Earle Fisher of Durham. She is also survived by a sister, Idalia High of Wilson, a brother, Calvin Oglesby and wife, Shirley, of Hamilton, and a brother-in-law, James H. Kleu of Cary.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 27, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Raeford Road, Fayetteville. The family will welcome friends for a reception and light lunch at the church immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, Lorette would have appreciated donations to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

The family would like to thank Lorette’s end-of-life caregivers and dear friends, Shirley Bullard, Veronica Hamilton, and Catherine Lewis.

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