Sheila G. Blackley

Sheila Geneva Blackley, 70, of Orange Park, FL gracefully passed away on May 24, 2024 in Jacksonville, FL.

Born in Hampton, Virginia on October 17, 1953, Sheila Blackley spent her childhood surrounded by her five brothers before being blessed later in life with three sisters. Sheila was a spitfire and a force to be reckoned with. There was no task she deemed too daunting and no obstacle that couldn't be handled; due to those characteristics, she was always learning new skills. Her biggest dream was to travel the world, a desire helped fanned by her husband Clifton. Sheila and Clifton grew up together and over time knew they were the one for each other.

This inseparable duo worked hard to help each other advance both in their academic and career paths. Clifton joined the United States Navy and Sheila graduated from Thomas Nelson Community College with a Bachelors in Secretarial Science and attended college on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. After college, Sheila became a Civil Service worker where she dedicated time towards helping others, until her retirement in 2022.

Sheila's dedication to community work began when the Blackley family was deployed to Hawaii. She joined the Navy Wives Club of America (NWCA), and she remained an active member for several years. Friends and members of the organization remembered Sheila's contagious smile, upbeat personality, thriftiness and dedication to the NWCA. When Clifton was transferred to Bermuda, Sheila jumped right in and joined NWCA Bermuda #267. In 1988, at the NWCA Eastern Region Convention in Newport, RI, Sheila was recognized as the “blue light special lady," because she always found the best deals at the local Kmart.

Sheila presented and won a bid to have the Eastern Region Convention held in Bermuda. She became the host for the 1989 convention and had the opportunity to work and communicate with various people and figures. Sheila also had the opportunity to invite the former First Lady Nancy Regan and formal Rear Admiral Craig Quigley alongside Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. At the 1989 National Convention, Sheila was appointed as the "Goodwill Ambassador to the Atlantic." As Goodwill Ambassador to the Atlantic, she was responsible for keeping in contact with all the overseas clubs and providing the appropriate resources to help keep the clubs active.

When Clifton was transferred to London, Sheila was instrumental in getting an NWCA club started there, and when he retired from the military in 1993, they settled in Orange Park. Sheila was an inspiration to many and loved by many.

A visitation will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home, 529 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park, FL  32073.  Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, June 8, 2024, 11:00 a.m., at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1649 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park, FL  32073.

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