Hester Dorsey Davenport was born in 1938 in Chester County PA and resides in West Chester. She attended West Chester Area Senior High School (now B. Reed Henderson High School), graduating in 1956. She excelled in basketball and with her six-foot size, was a feared scorer and rebounder. She was co-captain in her junior and senior years, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. She also played volleyball and softball in high school.

At a time when athletic scholarships for women, especially women of color, were practically non-existent, and when women who excelled in sports were often labeled: “tomboys”, the hopes and dreams of many women to play sports beyond high school were many times crushed by ignorance and stereotypes. Hester overcame those barriers and briefly attended and played sports at both Cheyney State and West Chester State Colleges.

During summers Hester played fast-pitch softball for the Wilmington Amazons. For three years in a row, they were undefeated in the tri-state league. She was a strong hitter and fielder for the Amazon team.

To help her family, Hester took a job with the U.S. Postal Service, where she worked for 34 years, while raising two daughters. She continues to be active in the West Chester Community, serving in a leadership role in her church and as a liaison for local high school students and teachers alike.