age 87, of Tampa, FL, died Friday May 25, 2018 at Sunrise Assisted Living in Decatur, GA. Visitation services will be held Monday, June 4, from 4-7 PM at Blount & Curry Funeral Home on Macdill Ave. in Tampa. There will be a private graveside service on Tuesday, June 5, at 10:00 AM at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.
Sheila was born in Tampa on July 12, 1930 to Humberto Centurion Fernandez and Marina Martinez Fernandez. She graduated from Plant High School in 1948. She received a BA in Education from the University of Tampa in 1951 and earned a Master’s Degree from Florida State University one year later.
Because Sheila greatly valued education, it is fitting that she spent more than 30 years as a school guidance counselor. Her chief responsibilities included organizing standardized testing and managing college recruitment. Sheila impacted countless lives and was instrumental in giving students the foundation needed to achieve their aspirations, no matter which direction they took. Sheila worked at several Tampa schools, including Memorial, Blake, and Middleton Junior High Schools. Her education came full circle when she returned to her alma mater, Plant High School, for the last 15 years of her career. During this time, Sheila also worked night school at Jefferson and Plant High Schools.
After retiring, Sheila enjoyed traveling with her classmates from high school and helping organize her high school reunions. She volunteered at the Ybor City History Museum and at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Sheila enjoyed sharing her family history with others and passed along the importance of their rich heritage to her children and grandchildren. Sheila’s family migrated from Spain in the 1890’s and settled in Ybor City. Her grandfather helped found El Centro Espanol Mutual Aid Society. She enjoyed traveling to Spain to visit her extended family and to immerse herself in the Spanish culture.
Sheila was a talented seamstress and pianist, and she took great pride in gardening. She loved her home on Davis Islands and spent countless hours working in her yard. Sheila was also an excellent cook who taught her daughters how to make delicious Cuban and Spanish food.
Her loving family left behind includes daughters Shannon M. Oshier (son-in-law Lance, deceased) and Stacey R. Rodriguez; granddaughters Erin M. Oshier and Allison B. Oshier; brother Humbert M. Fernandez (wife, Shirley, deceased); nephew Michael G. Fernandez and (niece, Jean M. Fernandez, deceased).
Sheila was a member of the First Baptist Church of Tampa and Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to one of the following:
Agape Hospice of Northeast Georgia (Navy Team), 575 Old Norcross Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30046; or El Centro Espanol de Tampa, PO Box 4725, Tampa, FL, 33677; or Moffitt Cancer Center Prevention Research, 4117 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33617, give.moffitt.org (direct gift to research); or Alzheimer’s Research, act.alz.org.
