Sheryl Shivers-Blackwell, 36, an assistant professor in the Division of Management Services, School of Business and Industry at FAMU was found dead yesterday. Her husband, Baron Blackwell, 43, was rushed to a local hospital.Tallahasee Police are investigating the death, and don't think any outside party was involved in the incident, Police spokesman David McCranie said.
McCranie said police received a 911 call, apparently from Baron Blackwell, at about 6:22 p.m. Officers entered the unlocked home and found the couple. The couple had two children, a 3-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl.
Blackwell is the second SBI professor to die this year. In March Kenneth Gray died while rock climbing.
While we bicker (sometimes) and have needed discussion about relevant issues, life for many and its associated problems, are very real, very personal and very frustrating. Life is not a game.
ReplyDeleteMy prayers are with this family.
Sheryl was my classmate. She was the sweetest thing. I was so proud and happy when she came back to SBI to teach. I can't believe this has happened. She will forever live in the halls of SBI
ReplyDeleteThis is horrible, horrible, horrible news. She was so young and had not begun to enjoy the fruits of her labor in the professional arena. Let us not even mention her two young children who have lost their mother. I'm really saddened by this horrific travesty.
ReplyDeleteDr. Shivers was one of my professors...such a sweet spirit and always willing 2 help.this is absolutely horrible. my prayers are with her family and her two babies. May her soul rest...
ReplyDeleteAnother one of the "great SBI leaders" whose spirit has flown home! Dr. Shivers-Blackwell you are sorely missed and will live forever in our hearts and minds! May God continue to bless and take care of your two beautiful children, and may He rest your soul in peace!
ReplyDeleteJust heard that the husband is on life support. Not sure what happened here, but I truly hate to see 2 kids left without a mother and father........but especially a mother! So sad!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a reminder to deal fairly, ethically and morally with the people who we interact with, especially when you hold the power over their jobs, education, livelihoods and all those things that matter to families.
ReplyDelete3:09- You lost me on that one. Are you saying to those who act unfairly, unethically and immorally with others, they will be killed? Explain please.
ReplyDeleteThis is very sad tragedy to SBI and the entire Tallahassee community. Dr. Shivers-Blackwell was one of my past professors. She was a very caring and kind person who always carried a warm smile. The democrat just reported how she died. The link is below for those who have not read the update yet. Please continue to pray for her family.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070706/BREAKINGNEWS/70706014
According to the Tallahassee Democrat's latest news release, Dr. Shivers was strangled. Much of everything else is pretty much a repeat of earlier broadcasts.
ReplyDelete3:09--what are you saying? Like the other poster, you've lost me on this comment. I have no idea what jumbled-up comment you're making here.
ReplyDeleteFrom deep blue sea:
ReplyDeleteThe Democrat also reported that there were signs of unreported domestic violence and that the police had to come to their home once before.
This leads me to believe that the husband killed her and then tried to kill himself.
She was described as "sweet.. kind.. loving" and all, yet she was apparently living a life of hell at home.
How awful!!! This should be a wake up call that issues of domestic violence transcend all economic and educational boundaries. She obviously stayed for the same reasons that the thousands of other abused women in this country stay with their abusers.
I can not understand it, but I am not a psychologist and I have never been abused.
I pray that her daughter will not harbor any psycho-emotional issues with men when she grows up and that the son is too young to know that his daddy had some serious issues.
deepbluesea
I refer to the way we treat people because there are things that go on at work and in other places that does not need to rise to a "conflict" level. People have enough pressure dealing with life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard about this young professor, I could not help but wonder if there aren't many more students, faculty, and staff like her at FAMU (and other institutions) who are at the breaking point. This person has to sit back and watch as those in power do things that add to the stress (sometimes detrimentally) of their lives. Not getting paid, for example, may not necessarily be a big deal to some, but to others it may mean eviction, foreclosure, domestic abuse, etc.
The administrators at FAMU and other institutions need to understand that their actions and inaction has an effect on the people who are subject to their environment.
There is lots more that will come out in the FAMU investigations. The ones who created the problems have already ran for cover. The ones left to blame are those who had titles (professors, directors, etc.) but no power. I wonder if the CASTELLs, Boards of Trustees and others who hold unrestrained power in this world ever think about the people that they are given charge over and how their negative actions has consequences. It is possible that the simply do not care.
sheryl was my friend for more than 10 years. i met her when she was working on her phd at purdue. we were in each others weddings. our children were growing up together. i will miss my friend more than words can say. her smile and laugh i will always remember. i am shocked and horrified by the events that have taken my friends life. if possible, i will make sure her children grow up remembering how beautiful their mother was.
ReplyDeleteanon 1:00----Ok, i give up. i won't try and figure how castell bryant's name has popped up in this commentary about Dr. Shivers. Can we all, fon one minute, let what is simply be: that a young life has been snatched away by a senseless act of violence, that this bright, intelligent sister--who, by the way--had not even began to reap the rewards of her profession, that the children of this very lovely woman will grow up without their mother, that whatever marital issues she had (which, of course we will never be privvy to), paled in comparison to the loss of life. There will be many commentaries from people who will no doubt say, "Well, why didn't she just leave?" Well, if you're on the outside looking in, there are a lot of reasons that women don't leave when the physical and/or emotional abuse begins. Many women, for reasons few will understand, somehow become emotionally attached or addicted to the verbal and/or emotional abuse. They believe, somehow in the emotional crevices of their psyche, that if their love and passiveness can somehow trump the madness and psychological anger of the abuser, then he will see the reality and injustice of his ways and change for the good, that if he sees that she is this really good person he will get himself right and behave himself in the future. A lot of times women are embarrassed that they, as smart and intelligent and confident as they are (and appear to be to outsiders), they simply do not wish for people to know that they go home to unhealthy situations. So they endure and hope things get better. But, as we all know too well, things never get better. Once the abusive behavior starts, there's no letting go on the abuser's part. There are, of course, a myriad of reasons for why women remain. Many times they won't ever be able to answer that.I know these things because I have been there. But not until a very serious physical altercation happened did I leave. I am not a victim. I am a survivor.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was not an SBI student during my time on the Hill, a loss like this is felt by the entire Rattler Family.
ReplyDeleteMy prayers and condolences are with her famlily, friends and students.
This is a very sad time for the FAMU community. My prayers are with the entire family. However, abusive relationships are on the rise today in all races, black, white,etc. Yes, many women feel that they should stay in relationships thinking it will get better. But it never gets better and women and the kids suffer physically and emotionally. I am a survivor of dometic abuse as well. After 4 years, he is still the same person. So, I thank GOD that he gave me the strength to leave for me and my son. I did not want him to grow up in a abusive environment. To my sisters, especially, don't feel like you need a abusive man to complete you. Trust me, it is not love. If you are in these relationships, don't stay thinking that he will get better, because he will not. Leave for yourself and your kids!!! I'm not saying that we don't need men. We have some beautiful, intelligent,successful, god-fearing men out there who know how to treat a woman. If GOD has put you together, don't let anything tear it apart. Encourage and love each other daily!!! Most important, put GOD as the foundation of that marriage, because storms will come, but in those storms you will have him to lean on and he will bring peace to those storms. My prayers to the SBI family.
ReplyDeleteMost who are aware of abuse or any difficult family circumstance know that it is hard to "let what is simply be." It is especially difficult when you see someone desperately trying to get out of a bad situation and die in the process. As we pass each other on the street, at our jobs, in stores or at family gatherings one never knows what lies beneath the smiles. It pays to extend kindness and love. You may be the only person to do so that day, and, you may also be the last.
ReplyDelete4:24, you completely missed the point of my "simply be" comment. Certainly, I am not saying that this issue is a "simply be" issue. The comment was in reference to Castell Bryant's name being brought into the conversation regarding this very tragic incident. Did you not read the rest of my comment? Surely, surely you understand that my words were not to be taken casually. Please re-read the entire comment. And this time, please make an effort to understand. You failed to do this the first time around.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to pray for this entire family. The husband and father of the kids has passed. Keep those kids and both families in your prayers!!
ReplyDeleteanon 1:00am and 7/7/2007 7:29pm: What the heck are you TALKING about?? You're all over the place. How could you blame FAMU or its former/present administrators for this trajedy? There is no butterfly effect here, my friend. Are you suggesting that Dr. Shivers was treated unfairly by someone at FAMU, which caused her a lot of stress, which caused her to have marital problems at home?
ReplyDeleteFAMU has its issues to address, but let's not put the blame for this trajedy at the doorstep of the university. Let's mourn the Dr. Shivers with dignity.
To: Anon 1:49---My comments are the 12:43 and 7:29 posts. I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA WHAT THE 1:00 PERSON IS TALKING ABOUT. I am not that person. I think some people just want to blame FAMU for every doggone thing, even a young woman's death. I would suggest that anon 1:00 get a grip.
ReplyDeleteIt is always a tragedy when a coward takes a life and then takes his own. He died in dishonor and brings shame upon his whole family.
ReplyDeleteBig man beating up a little girl is nothing but a coward. Come beat on me punk and see if you can walk away. - that goes for any of you cowardly woman beaters.
ReplyDeleteI asked was she a delta because if she was, this was the FAMU professor who gave me a ride in that bitter tallahassee cold when my cab never showed up! she was so pleasant and full of life. RIP
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad that Dr. Shivers personal life is being exposed. I know what Dr. Shivers husband did was wrong, but at the same time my heart goes out to her family and his. Most importantly of all the kids.
ReplyDeleteThere is a new Florida law that helps those in abusive relationships.
ReplyDeleteDr. Shivers will be missed greatly and tremendously. She was a kind, intelligent, inspiring, and God-fearing woman. I met Dr. Shivers two years ago during the NcNair program when I was in search for a mentor. She immediately was excited about the opportunity and the benefits of the program being that she was once a McNair scholar herself. Although, I was permitted to have one mentor for the program, I openly had two mentors who were good friends and I am glad to have benefited from them. Dr. Shivers, I miss you and will continue to celebrate your life as you journey into your heavenly destination with the Lord. I will also keep Shelby and Spencer in my prayers that they develop and grow with the same attibutes as you and God constantly comforts them.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone remembers: We may have loved Dr. Shivers but God loves her the most!
Words can't express the loss I feel. I was a student of Dr. Shivers both in undergrad and grad while at SBI. I worked for her as a grad assistant all the way through grad school up until graduation in April 2006. Dr. Shivers was such a kind and caring professor that it just doesn't seem like something this tragic would happen to her. My prayer is that God watches out for her children because this is going to be a tough road ahead for them.
ReplyDeleteSBIans and the greater FAMU community: Let's back up our talk with certified action by donating to the fund that has been put together for her children. Information below:
Contributions should be forwarded to: The School of Business and Industry, 105 Sybil Mobley Complex, FAMU, Tallahassee, FL 32307, Attn: Dr. Alex Moore, Assn. Dean for Administration.