Carol Ann Windham

Carol Ann Windham, 45, of Tallahassee passed away on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 after a difficult battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by her devoted brother and a few of her very close friends that were in reality her family. She went peacefully, quickly and painlessly as prayed for. A Tallahassee native, she graduated from North Florida Christian School in 1984 and attended TCC and FSU. Her “girl-next-door” attractiveness, friendly smile, and engaging personality led to her first job in sales. She quickly became a top seller for Clinique at Dillard’s, respected by her bosses and liked by her co-workers. In spite of the tremendous success, working in retail had its drawbacks. The security, benefits and standard work schedules of a state government job were becoming more appealing. She left the exciting but unpredictable world of retail and joined the legions of state government workers in Tallahassee. But shortly thereafter a new opportunity arose. She had interest in work as a nail technician and a position was open in a shop of some close friends. Not many would have left the stability of a 9-5 job for the high risk of starting a new business, but she was brave enough to take the chance like so many entrepreneurs before her that made this country great. But also as many dreamers that went before her, it didn’t work out so she returned to the refuge of state government. She worked for several different departments but found her calling in her final stop. Her love of animals and nature was right at home in the bucolic setting of the Department of Agriculture – not many office buildings are surrounded by cows grazing in a pasture. She has made numerous good friends at all of her workplace stops, but it was here that her boss was especially supportive and understanding of her illness. This support made the difficult final journey much more manageable. Although she was successful and respected professionally, she made her greatest mark through her hobbies. She worked tirelessly to rescue hurt and abandoned animals. A few Tallahasseans may have witnessed a scene a number of years back of a woman trying to pick up a dog abandoned in the median on Apalachee Parkway. With her Honda parked askew on the curb and passing drivers rudely honking, she loaded the emaciated, injured and terrified animal into her car and drove it to the vet. She still had that dog when she passed and was meticulous about detailing its care for when she was gone. She drove to the Mississippi Coast to help rescue animals from the devastation left behind from Hurricane Katrina, and spent time in Southern Utah at Best Friends Animal Society to assist with assimilating tortured or abandoned animals into a disposition suitable for household pets. Potentially her greatest legacy though came out of her interest in horses. She had always loved riding and got “back in the saddle” at Little Pond Farm in Tallahassee. She not only rode, but practiced, trained and successfully jumped in amateur competition. For most, these accomplishments would have been sufficient, but she had a higher calling. She had the passion and work ethic to make the Southern Hunter Jumper Association (SHJA) the most vibrant, usable and enjoyable organization possible. This included everything from taking pictures of the riders to heavily participating in orchestrating their amazing