Henry T. “Skip” Dechert

February 28, 1940 — December 20, 2025

Born in Philadelphia, PA to Philip and Anne Ross Dechert, Skip joined a sister Frances; brother Philip later joined the two. Raised in the Philadelphia area, Skip entered Yale as a part of a dozen from the St Mark’s School, two of which, Peter Saccio and Kent Willing, were his roommates in Welch freshman year.

His next three years were spent as an active member of Berkeley College. There he built on his freshman year soccer team experience, and also on his St. Mark’s squash training to captain the Berkeley team for two years. A lifelong interest in music found expression at Yale with the Freshman Chorus and the Apollo Glee Club. Skip’s outgoing personality, ready smile, and easy laugh made him an easy fit with the Banner, where he became a member of the Banner’s board and its business manager senior year. Following both personal interests and intention to become a lawyer, Skip chose History as his major.

As anticipated, Skip earned his L.L.D. from the Cary Law School, University of Pennsylvania, and joined the firm of Philip & Hune Lewis Ross where he practiced corporate law. Seeking greater fulfillment he switched careers and in 1981 founded PlanLogic Systems in Gladwyne, PA as a small computer consulting company. He worked for 35 years, of which he said in the Yale 1962’s 40th Year Book: “…I pick my customers carefully, try like hell to guess which new technology is worth learning about… .”

Kent Willing was responsible for introducing Skip to both of his wives. Skip and Deborah Payson married after he completed law school and had two children: George and Martha. In the same year book, following the death of George at 15 in an accident, he said it “underscored how important families are.” In April, 1974 he married Nancy Moses Richardson, a widow who brought two young children to the union, Greg and Tracy. Together they had daughter Catherine. Before his own demise, Skip had also lost daughter Tracy, who left him with two granddaughters among the 11 grandchildren who survived him.

Skip enjoyed being with people and being engaged in activities. He and Nancy had a weekly movie date, arriving early with books to read so as to have the seats they preferred. They also enjoyed exploring new places, attending concerts and operas, and taking ballroom dancing lessons together. Doing things with his family was also highly important to him. They spent summer and other vacations at a family home in Nonquitt, MA on Buzzard’s Bay, playing tennis and sailing. And it was said that there was not a thing that he didn’t try to photograph.

Singing with the Orpheus Club in Philadelphia was a special pleasure, as was daily piano playing. Of his experience with the Orpheus Club, Skip said in 40th Year Book: “A group of just men doing something together that they love is a very rare thing these days… In fact, it represents the best of what a close fraternity can be, but it is even better as the friendships last for decades.”

In addition to the children mentioned and his grandchildren, Skip was survived by his wife Nancy. A memorial service celebrating his life was held on April 25, 2026 at St Christopher’s Church in Gladwyne, PA.

— John D. Hatch III