Sally Cheshire Habermeyer

Sally Cheshire Habermeyer, beloved wife of Howard William “Bill” Habermeyer Jr., mother of James Howard Habermeyer (Emily) and William Ross Habermeyer (Katie), and grandmother of Vivien Jewel Habermeyer, Hadley Weston Habermeyer, William McKean Habermeyer and James Lasley Habermeyer, passed away on December 6, 2025.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Ross Cheshire, Jr. and Sarah McCarley Cheshire of Nashville, TN. Sally is also survived by one brother, James Ross Cheshire, III.

Sally was born on April 9, 1940 and grew up in Nashville,TN. She attended The Harpeth Hall School, Randolph-Macon Women’s College, and graduated from Vanderbilt University, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

After marriage, Bill’s naval career took them on over 32 moves to various places, including Idaho Falls, ID; New London, CT; San Diego, CA; Vallejo, CA; Annapolis, MD; Newport News, VA; Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, SC; Aiea, HI, Great Falls, VA; Yokosuka, Japan; and Groton, CT.

When Bill retired from the Navy and joined Progress Energy, their moves took them to Raleigh, NC, Asheville, NC and then to St. Petersburg, FL. After Bill’s retirement from Progress Energy, their next move was to Tampa, FL, to be nearer to their youngest son.

During Bill’s Naval career, Sally was active in the Submarine Officer’s Wives Club and served as President on several occasions. She was a sustaining member of the National Society of Colonial Dames, a contributing member of the Chislers, and a member of the Henry B. Plant Museum Society.

Sally was an extremely gifted artist, seamstress, and dollhouse constructor. She sewed her own clothes, made costumes for the family on festive occasions, and painted renditions of their many homes. She started a needlepoint business named Sal-Originals, where she sold needlepoint kits of Submarine Warfare Dolphins, Naval Aviation Wings, Surface Warfare Emblems, and Marine Corps Crests.

Her dollhouses were constructed from kits that she decorated with figurines and furniture. She hand made miniature wall hangings and needlepointed rugs as well. Sally electrified the houses so that rooms were fully lit. She completed over 20 large dollhouses and 15 smaller room boxes, many of which had holiday and special themes. All of them have been shown in public displays or sold.

Sally was truly a multi-talented renaissance woman and a wonderful wife and mother. She will be dearly missed.

A Memorial Service will be held at date, time and location to be determined. Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian team is assisting the family and will announce the arrangements.