Jo-Anne Roman, 57, 35-year veteran of Florida humane work

Jo-Anne Roman, 57, a 35-year veteran of animal welfare work, died unexpectedly on June 2, 2014. Roman rose to senior vice president of operations during 34 years with the Humane Society of Broward County, Florida, often working on cruelty and neglect cases with Sergeant Sherry Schleuter, longtime supervisor of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims & Family Crimes Section.

Schleuter began in animal work as a teenaged volunteer for Bea Humphries, who in 1969 founded the Broward County SPCA Wildlife Center, located in Fort Lauderdale since 1970. In 2009 the Broward County SPCA Wildlife Center became the South Florida Wildlife Center, and at the same time became a project of the Humane Society of the U.S.

Beth & Merritt Clifton.
(Geoff Geiger photo)

Retiring from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in June 2009, Schleuter became director of the South Florida Wildlife Center. Roman joined the wildlife center team as director of operations in May 2013.

Roman also “served as a consultant to HSUS,” she recalled in August 2013 to Cindy Kent of the Florida Sun Sentinel, including “many weeks in Louisiana assisting with animal disaster relief throughout the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina.” In addition, Roman taught animal care, handling, and euthanasia in South America as a consultant for the World Society for the Protection of Animals.