Artist

Architect, painter, sculptor, stained glass artist, musician, poet, writer, farmer.

Born in Marion County in 1926, where my family had lived since 1823 when my great-grandfather and his brother moved to Martel from Ebenezer Community near Savannah. My grandfather, Josiah, was one of the founding members, who helped to build St. John’s Methodist Church at Cotton Plant, Florida west of Ocala; and who gave the land for Fellowship Church at Fellowship, Florida; built one of the first schools in that county, owned a cotton gin, and 500 acre farm.

During World War II, I graduated from Reddick High School in 1943 at 17 and was already operating a farm at Flemington, Marion County, when after a disastrous Spring, I opted to join the Army and was inducted into the Army Infantry. We landed in Europe at the ending of the battle of the Bulge, was assigned to the 330th Infantry, 83rd Division; and fought through Germany from Belgium to the Elbe River, where our company was halted to await arrival of the Russians. In September, I was transferred to an Army Postal Unit in Augsburg, Germany. I was discharged in July 1946.

I graduated the University of Florida with a B. A. in English Literature, Speech, and Sociology in 1950. I studied Architecture at Columbia University and the University of Florida, where I received a B. A. in Architecture in 1956.

I served a three year internship with Rufus Nims as a senior designer for the development of manufactured housing for U S Steel Homes and other projects.  My license in architecture was by NCARB examination in 1960, giving me access to licensing in every state. I was Project Architect for Biscayne College, now St. Thomas University, and Mercy Hospital in its major expansion to 1972; and Architect of Record for subsequent renovation.

Major design projects in addition to Mercy Hospital, include the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens, Our Lady of Lourdes in Boca Raton, St. Kieran's adjacent Mercy Hospital in Coconut Grove, Church of the Incarnation in Miami, and children's Marian Center in OpaLocka. The stained glass window in the Cathedral executed by Rambusch Studios in New York has been published world wide.  Our design for St. Maximillian Kolbe in Plantation, a major ecclesiastical development in Broward County, was never completed. I love sailing and once cruised the coast of Turkey. My travels have stretched from Hawaii to Rhodes and included Mexico, the Caribbean and most of Europe.

Retired, with minor architectural consultation, I am able to realize one of my greatest ambitions to paint in watercolors. As a mediocre musician, I have played double bass in the U of F symphony orchestra, bass and tuba in dance and jazz bands. I gave up music to study architecture, but later returned to play in marching and local bands. As a student, it was always my ambition to play like Harry James. That was not my talent. I started on the cornet, but Fate handed me a bass violin, properly called a double bass and that changed my whole life.

At this time in life, I have accomplished everything I ever set out to achieve, have done everything I really wanted to do, and now I have everything I ever really wanted. That includes the lady I dreamed of all my life; Sheila Rudy Bjorge. Lately, I added blog and so hope that what is posted will compel you to visit often. Here it is! Tally Ho!

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                        Sheila Bjorge Seckinger

Sheila Rudy Bjorge was born on Staten Island, New York, to a second generation Norwegian father and an Irish mother whose forbearers were a part of the Revolution. Her father was an officer in the Coast Guard and her relatives seemed to have kept the Coast Guard well mobilized. Her Aunt Margaret took her to the ballet,  school took her to the Saturday Leonard Bernstein concerts for young people, and her father and sister taught her swing. I rarely see her without a book in her hand. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and currently a Hospice Nurse at Hospice of Citrus County. We have 3 daughters, 1 son and their spouses with 8 grandchildren. Her grandfather Knudt Bjorge was a carpenters mate in the Coast Guard,  and a craftsman of beautiful furniture. Her Aunt Margaret still lives in the house he built in New London. Knudt and Sheila’s father, Rudy, are both buried at Arlington. Her mother, Vesta’s, ashes were scattered at sea.