Holly Marchildon

Holly C. Marchildon Jr., 87, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 23, 2002, at the Lutheran Home.

He was born Feb. 12, 1915, in Thebes, Ill., son of Holly C. and Emma Roeser Marchildon Sr. He and Mary Lyndale Swann were married Aug. 26, 1937, in Cape Girardeau. She died Sept. 8, 1983. He later married Georgia Tenkhoff March 28, 1987, in Cape Girardeau. She died March 6, 2002.

Holly received a bachelor of science degree in education from Southern Illinois University in 1937, and a master's degree in education from the University of Illinois.

He began his career at Grand Tower in 1937, teaching chemistry and physics. Holly and his wife, Lyndale, came to Chester in 1948, when he became principal of Chester High School. He became superintendent of Chester Community School District 139 in 1950.

Holly was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau, and former member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Chester.

Holly was a member of the American Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Administrators, past president of Southwest Division of the Superintendent's Forum, a life member of the National Education Association, and a 28-year member and past president of Chester Lions Club.

He was a 24-year member of Chester Elks Lodge, member of Chester Country Club, SIU Alumni Association, Governing Board of Perando Special Education District, board member of Beck Vocational School, and trustee of Chester Public Library 37 years.

Holly started the education program at Chester Security Hospital, currently Chester Mental Health Center. This was the first program of this type in Illinois.

He helped coordinate the first nursing education program at Chester High School and Chester Memorial Hospital. He helped coordinate the first Co-Op Title Funds with the help of other county superintendents for the County School District. He helped coordinate the first film Co-op in the United States for Schools.

Holly received the Distinguished Service Award for Public School Administration from Gamma Lambda chapter of Phi Delta Kappa through Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Survivors include two sons, Jerry (Jean) Marchildon of Washington, D.C., Richard (Carolyn) Marchildon of Chester; two daughters, Judy (Terry) Yates of San Antonio, Texas, Janet (Eddie) Usher of Herrin, Ill.; a stepson, Michael Tenkhoff of Nitro, W.Va.; a stepdaughter, Mary Hamacher of Stone Mountain, Ga.; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; and a great-stepgrandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Clement, Lester and Frank Marchildon; and a sister, Virginia Long.

Friends may call at Welge-Pechacek Funeral Home in Chester from 6-8 p.m. today, and Saturday from 7:30-10:45 a.m.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Chester, with Msgr. Dennis Schaefer officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Chester Public Library or Chester Community School District.