Know Your Neighbors: Sheila  Barton,  Floral shop owner

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Sheila Barton, 46, owns Always in Bloom Flower Shop in Sterling.

Before that, she worked for McCormick’s Nursery and Landscape, Sterling, as an accountant, and was the city of Sterling’s finance director from 1989 to 1999. Sheila and her husband, Pat Barton, 45, live in Sterling. They have two children, Ryan Barton, 23, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and Emilie Barton, 16, a sophomore at Newman Central Catholic High School. Sheila is the daughter of Joyce Sandrock of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has a brother, Gary Sandrock, 44, of Tampico.

On-the-job lesson: Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Alma mater: I graduated in 1980 from Tampico High School. I earned my bachelor’s degree in computer science at Marycrest College, Kankakee, and my MBA at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa.

Philosophy: Try a variety of things.

Hearts: Gardening, reading, going to my daughter’s cross-country meets, watching “NCIS” and anything on HGTV.

Darts: People who think parking lots have the same speed as the interstate.

Haunts: Restaurants.

Hero: My dad, the late Loren Sandrock. He always put everyone first. He was very selfless.

First job: I mowed the Yorktown Cemetery when I was 14. I liked it. You could get a suntan while you were there.

First car: An Oldsmobile Cutlass when I was 18.

Read this: “Black Notice,” by Patricia Cornwell.

Phobia: Snakes.

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate chip cookies.

I’d like to meet: My deceased ancestors.

In the dictionary next to: Responsible.

Trading places: I’d like to be my niece, Emma Sandrock, 5, to see the fun of being in kindergarten again.

Trading spaces: I’d like to visit Australia.

Best thing about Sterling: It is fairly easy to get around.

Shout out to: My family.

Do you know someone who ought to be featured in Know Your Neighbors? Write to Phil Hartman at phartman@svnmail.com or call 800-798-4085, ext. 524.