Holly (Hufschmidt) Van Fleet, 83, passed away on July 17, 2026. Blue Skies, by Ella Fitzgerald was played loudly at her cremation. She had a great sense of humor, and was often the “life of the party.” She always brought or served her celebratory drink of Prosecco to important occasions and celebrations. She was a Free Spirit. Once she made up her mind to do something, she immediately flew into action. For her junior year in college, she took a semester to go on The University of the Seven Seas. When in Egypt, she was invited to climb to the top of the tallest Pyramid. Since this was probably illegal at that time, the group was told they needed to go at night. The climb was rocky and treacherous, but to Holly it was the experience of a lifetime.

Her career accomplishments were many, but she didn’t often tell others what they were. In the sixties Holly was a frontline Red Cross Donut Dolly (a name used during World War II) and served in Vietnam for a year. She was stationed at field hospitals and recreation centers, where soldiers came for respite. Frequently the “Dollies” got on helicopters to take their services to smaller bases. Here is a quick story of her work there: a young soldier had something that was bothering him, and asked could they talk. Holly said, “Sure let’s grab a coffee and you can tell me about it.” The soldier, soon to be discharged, came from a small Midwest town. He was afraid that his first Sunday meal at his grandmother’s house would be ruined because he might accidentally forget his manners and shout out, “pass the ‘fuckin’ butter.”

Her next big adventure was moving to Washinton DC to live in both Logan and Dupont Circles. She eventually enrolled in the DC Police Academy. Around that time there had been a hit TV series, called Police Woman with Angie Dickinson. This may have inspired Holly’s desire for “adventure.” While there, she was inducted into the ranks of the US Secret Service, among other “first women.” The initiating event was that Pat Nixon had been verbally assaulted in a women’s bathroom. The Secret Service then realized they needed women to go places men could not. Her first assignment was sent to protect Jimmy Carter during his race for the presidency in Plains, GA. She went on to a summer camp with Spiro Agnew’s daughter. Holly once told a story that her co-workers said she would never be able to drive the presidential car because if she sneezed, she might miss something important. Her sneezes could be up to ten short mini-bursts where her eyes shut, and her head jerked up and down. Holly loved that job and the colleagues at work, until she left to get married.

Holly’s husband, Jim Van Fleet (deceased) worked for USAID, and they were sent to LaPaz, Bolivia to live with other US families from various agencies. This “post” was identified as a “hardship” because of the difficulty being in such high altitudes. Holly was an incredible help to the whole American community there, bringing the families together to adjust. She even accompanied one woman, whose husband died, back to the states. While in LaPaz, she made life-long friends, who later became “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Holly loved all her international trips and returned to those kinds of experiences again and again. She also had friends in the Peace Corps in the Caribbean and loved the many colorful festival celebrations with great music and costuming. She became a collector of wild masks and artwork from all her many travels.

Her final work was at the Department of State, where she assigned interpreters for official government educational and exchange programs. She also worked as an escort in the office on the department’s International Visitor Program, accompanying foreign visitors on their tours of the United States. The visitors were invited by the State Department to study a wide variety of subjects in communities all over the country. Her work colleagues became another source of lifelong friends.

Holly often lived on a fast track, coming and going all the time. A Donut Dolly friend had invited her to go on a tour of Africa. Holly said yes, of course. When they met at the airport to start the trip, Holly came running up to her friend and said, “Now, where are we going?” - as could only be said by a true adventurer.

Holly selflessly helped and entertained visitors, friends, co-workers, family and she was on the Board of Directors several times, at the Imperial House in Dupont Circle, where she lived. She loved and was loved in return. She will be forever missed.

Holly is survived by her sister, Ellen Hufschmidt (Stephen Burt) of Minneapolis; niece, Laura Hufschmidt and (Justin Senkbeil) of Detroit; nephew Chris Hufschmidt and (Rebecca Paddock) of Minneapolis; and sister-in-law Judy Hufschmidt.

If you wish to make a donation to either one of her favorite charities, they were: Habitat for Humanity or Wounded Warriors. You may donate in Holly’s name as a tribute to her.