William Blaine Sheffield

William “Blaine” Sheffield, 78, of Destin, Florida, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida, where he was receiving care for Pulmonary Fibrosis at UF Shands Hospital.

Blaine was born on January 25, 1947, in Jackson, Alabama, to William Clay and Frances Vonciel Sheffield. He grew up in Foley, Alabama, and graduated from Foley High School before attending Auburn University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1969.

After graduating, Blaine began his career in accounting at Arthur Andersen, where one of the highlights of his early years was working on the Augusta National Golf Club audit and attending the Masters Tournament in 1970. He later found his calling in healthcare administration, serving in leadership roles for private healthcare companies for more than 30 years. In 1981, while working at University Medical Center in Montgomery, Alabama, he met Kathy, who became the love of his life. Blaine went on to own and operate his own business, Cumberland Medical Supply, and continued consulting for many years until his retirement.

Blaine was a generous and kind man who never met a stranger. He loved spending time on the golf course—especially at Kelly Plantation in Destin—cheering on Auburn football, and watching Braves baseball. Above all, he loved Kathy, his family, and the many friends who became family along the way.

He is survived by his loving wife, Kathy Sheffield; his children, Blaine (Barbie) Sheffield Jr., Kim (Chuck) Whisonant, Eric (Vashni) Sheffield, and Brittney (Shehzad) Muhamed; his brother, Ned (Janet) Sheffield of Auburn, Alabama; and his thirteen grandchildren: Brantly, Braxton, Justin, Nicholas, Elijah, Richard, Zacharia, Ezekiel, Xayvier, Lyra, Darren, Sophie, and Laila.

A celebration of Blaine’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Destin Methodist Church, 200 Beach Dr, Destin, FL 32541. All are welcome to attend, with a reception to follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice in Blaine’s honor.

Blaine will be remembered for his warmth, wisdom, and deep love for the people and places that shaped his life. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

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