The long-time head of Community Standards in The Villages has passed away.
Candice Neva Dennis died of a heart attack Monday, Nov. 25 at age 68.
She started working for The Villages Community Development District back in 1999. The district government was in its early years and Dennis joined at a time when Pete Wahl was the district manager.
Dennis became the head of the Community Standards department, working with deed enforcement issues and the Architectural Review Committee.
She shepherded the ARC from its earliest days. The ARC is made up of volunteer residents from throughout The Villages, who review applications to ensure that homes meet the deed restrictions that have kept Florida’s Friendliest Hometown looking like a top-notch community.
“She was always very thorough, professional and well prepared,” said Don Simson, a longtime member of the ARC, who served as its chair. “If we needed more information or a greater understanding of something, we knew we could turn to Candy.”
She was known for her dedicated work with residents, trying to educate them on the often complicated process of coming into compliance if a violation had occurred, Simson said.
He joked that he and Dennis would occasionally “butt heads” on the ARC, but he always considered her a friend.
“You could always trust that she would give you good advice,” he said.
Dennis retired in 2020 from her long-time role in The Villages.
Dennis wasn’t completely ready to stop government service and in 2021 landed a job at Fruitland Park City Hall.
A Celebration of Life in her memory will be held on Jan. 11 at Lake Miona Recreation Center in The Villages.
You can read her complete obituary at this link.
