George Sheldon—children's advocate, former state official

George Sheldon, a longtime children’s advocate and former state official, died Thursday.

The 71-year-old’s death was confirmed by J. Christian Minor, executive director of the Florida Juvenile Justice Association. Minor served as his travel aide when Sheldon, a Democrat, ran unsuccessfully against Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi in 2014.

“He was always for the kids and he always did what he thought was right,” Minor said early Friday.

Sheldon died “three weeks after he fell at his home gym, fracturing a vertebra in his neck,” the Miami Herald’s Carol Marbin Miller reported later Friday morning.

He most recently had been head of the Our Kids nonprofit that provides child services in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Before that, he was director of Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services, and was acting assistant secretary in 2011-13 for the federal Administration for Children and Families under President Barack Obama.

Gov. Charlie Crist selected him to be Secretary of Florida’s Department of Children and Families in 2008-11.

Over a long career, Sheldon also served in the state House, was an aide to then-state Sen. Reubin Askew, and was a deputy to Attorney General Bob Butterworth.

His work was not without controversy. In Illinois, he faced ethics investigations and scrutiny over contracts he had granted to past campaign donors and consultants before resigning in mid-2017.

“This is all part of being in the public eye,” Sheldon told Florida Politics last year.

Keith Ward, chairman of the Our Kids board of trustees, sent out a memo Aug. 6 that said Sheldon had sustained a neck injury while exercising and had surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. The memo indicated the surgery had been successful.

Sheldon was praised Friday on social media by people who worked with him over the years.

“Just a wonderful man. He was a big help to me when I was a kid trying to get a foot in the door,” political consultant Steve Schale wrote.

Judi Skelton, who worked with Sheldon at the Department of Children and Families, posted on her Facebook page that she was heartbroken. “What a larger-than-life figure in Florida!” Skelton wrote. “A great humanitarian who never had an unkind word for anyone. He did so much for children and those less fortunate.”

Political activist Linda Miklowitz posted on her Facebook page: “Well done, faithful servant. You made the world kinder with your advocacy for children and persons with disabilities and mental illness. Rest In peace.”

Sheldon became the chief executive of Our Kids after a controversial tenure running the Illinois social-services agency.

Sheldon resigned from that position in June 2017, amid an ethics probe into, among other things, nearly $1 million in contracts awarded to Florida companies, according to the Chicago Tribune.

His resignation also came on the heels of the death of 16-month-old Semaj Crosby, after investigators opened and closed four investigations into alleged neglect in the baby’s home.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this post, content republished with permission.

From Twitter:

RIP my good friend. George Sheldon had a servants heart, a gentle soul, & love for helping others

We spent many miles on the road together during his AG campaign. He was a friend, mentor & family.

May angels guide you into the lords arms as you always guided others. #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/zeqj4nJr9o

— Christian Minor (@jchristianminor) August 24, 2018