I’ve only dedicated one of these blogs to an individual before, after the passing of Navarre’s beloved Kayak Dave. But after losing a friend and mentor earlier this week, I knew it was time for another personal tribute.
Sheila Dunning was a commercial horticulture agent in Okaloosa County for over 22 years. She and I entered the world of UF IFAS Extension here in northwest Florida the same way, as part of a 3-year Florida Yards & Neighborhoods grant that introduced the FYN program (now Florida-friendly Landscaping) to this region. With a deadline to our funding, our mission was to make ourselves so useful that our partner counties would continue funding our positions.
And boy, was Sheila useful. She came to Extension with 20 years of prior experience in the horticulture nursery industry, so she’d seen it all. She knew every bug, every disease, every plant—to the point we jokingly referred to her as “Sheilapedia” for her exhaustive knowledge. Having worked on the commercial side, she quickly built a rapport with the landscapers, pesticide operators, irrigation contractors, and nursery owners. I am certain her cell number was on speed dial for every landscape professional in busy resort-rich Okaloosa County, not to mention the surrounding communities.
Sheila was a whiz at maneuvering through the often-confusing world of FDACS-required pesticide and fertilizer licenses, and taught continuing education courses frequently. She was everyone’s go-to person for questions on who needed which license and how to get it.
She was tough as nails and strong as an ox, but a nurturer at heart. Sheila regaled us with tales of raising wild animals and livestock at her childhood home in south Florida. After bringing up her own son and daughter and caring for her husband through numerous illnesses, she was the on-call grandma for her beloved grandchildren. She was a lifelong athlete, competing in adult softball leagues for decades. She was also known for her preparedness. You would rarely see Sheila without her “go” bag, a backpack stuffed with clothes and other necessities to sustain her through a full weekend. She started this practice when her Air Force husband was stationed in Europe, and they played in an international league of base softball teams. Relying on military hops to move from one country to the other, as the military dependent she didn’t always catch a ride. After being left behind in a foreign country, spending a few nights with nothing but a softball glove, she always kept that bag with her.
Often to my amusement, Sheila was the hottest-natured person I ever met. Happiest in a t-shirt and shorts no matter the outdoor temperature, she always said her favorite home was chilly Iceland. While attending an Extension conference in Alaska, a group of us toured an Ice Museum full of frozen artwork and furniture made of ice. Large parkas were required at the door, but I watched Sheila sign a waiver and refuse the big jacket, walking into a below-freezing building with a huge smile on her face. Finally—the perfect temperature.
Sheila was working on her Doctorate of Plant Medicine from the University of Florida. She had 17 professional certifications, ranging from arborist and erosion control management to irrigation and entomology. No doubt, she would have been an incredible resource to even more people had she been able to complete her research and expand her role at UF. She was active with professional organizations and was a coveted speaker and educator for every group from elementary age 4-H’ers to experienced landscape architects.
Sheila lived life to the fullest. While she was an old-school agent, preferring in-person communication and site visits to digital communication, she also embraced the possibilities of new technology. She recently described to me, with awe, visiting a nursery in Holland that used drones to identify and kill pest insects before they could infest plants. I am a better Extension Agent and a better person for having known Sheila Dunning. She was a legend.
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