Special to the Caloosa Belle Independent
The 2024 Swamp Cabbage Festival Heritage Family was the Whidden Family.
The Whiddens have been a pioneer family in central and southern Florida for six generations. Lance “Bubba” Whidden is the father of Sheriff, Steve Whidden. Bubba was born to Griffin Whidden and
Ressie Terrell Whidden and grew up in Wauchula, where his parents were orange growers. Bubba has two brothers, Lane, and Stephen, who both have lived in Hendry and Glades Counties.
The Whidden family has ties to Fort Denaud, the original fort for which the area is named. Steve’s great-grandmother, Ona Platt Whidden was born to Cisero and Florida Platt, in the fort on the drive to move their cows from Lake Port through LaBelle. Ona married Milton Whidden and moved to Hardee County where the town of Ona is named after her.
Bubba joined the US Army and upon his release in 1963, he returned to Wauchula. In 1965, he moved to Immokalee and started working for the Red Cattle Company in Felda, he also worked for the Immokalee Ranch. Bubba also has a history of being in law enforcement, in 1968 he started with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and in 1970, went to work for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
In 1971, Bubba moved back to Immokalee and married June Raulerson of Immokalee, whose parents were also part of pioneer families, the Raulerson’s and the White’s. Steve was born in 1972 while his parents lived in Naples.
Upon moving to LaBelle in 1999 with his wife, Kass, and his two children, Stephen and Kasey, Steve was hired by the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office as a road patrol deputy. Throughout his career, Steve worked his way through the agency from road patrol to narcotics and the criminal investigations division. In 2005, Steve was hired by the Clewiston Police Department and worked there until he was elected as Hendry County Sheriff in 2008. Steve took office in 2009 and has been the sheriff of Hendry County since.
As Steve and Kass raised their children and now grandchildren in LaBelle, they instilled a sense of community service and pride. Kass has worked for the San Carlos Park Fire District for 22 years as the Administrative Assistant and Human Resource Director. Stephen joined the Florida Army National Guard in 2016 and is still serving today as a Sergeant. Kasey followed in Steve’s footsteps and joined the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2019 as a road patrol deputy and is currently a member of the Court Operations Emergency Response Team. The Whiddens are a proud family who have dedicated their lives and careers to serving the public, their communities, and the state.
As a part of three founding families of several central and southern/southwestern Florida counties, Steve is proud to have a family heritage rooted in Hendry County and the surrounding area.
