IN MEMORIAM
BY PAMELA PRICE
Sheila Cluff :
FITNESS PIONEER & SPA SUPERSTAR
The ISPA family was blessed to have a mother daughter dynamic duo , who both served terms on the ISPA Board .
Universally recognized in the spa growth of countless spa professional careers over the years . industry and the global health tourism community as a fitness
Cluff passed this passion on to her pioneer , Sheila Cluff was a trailblazer daughter , Cathy , and they worked side known as the Grandmother of by side , both taking an active role in Aerobics who established exercise as ISPA . Sheila later graced the cover of the basis of a healthy lifestyle . the March / April edition of Pulse in 2009 ,
One of the original members of and Cathy served on the ISPA Board , ISPA , Cluff attended the ISPA Conference & Expo from the very beginning . volunteer .“ It was an honor to not only
the ISPA Foundation Board and as a
Her commitment and dedication to work alongside my mother as ISPA was ISPA through her service on the ISPA evolving , then to take it to the next Board of Directors from 1994-98 was level as the spa industry boomed during the years of my service as a Board only part of her legacy . Even in her later years , Cluff could be found sharing her Member ,” Cathy said . boundless energy with Conference attendees , even attending morning walks via her two legendary fitness-inspired
Cluff took her message to the world
and fitness classes . It ’ s the way she resorts in Southern California : The Oaks would light up the room when she at Ojai and The Palms at Palm Springs . walked in and would inspire the Sheila and Don opened The Oaks at
Ojai in 1977 , and it was one of the few spas in California at the time . This was in addition to her multifaceted Health Holidays specializing in spa-inspired travel , whether by land or by sea — or even air !
After graduating from Teacher ’ s College in Ottawa , Cluff taught girls physical education . She was convinced cardiovascular dance could add a “ spark of fun to exercise ,” thus creating in the 1950s what would come to be widely known as aerobics in the 1980s . She considered accepting a position as a teacher in Fairbanks , Alaska , but with family encouragement , she went touring with the Hollywood Ice Revue instead . ( Upon turning 80 years old in 2016 , Cluff competed in the Senior Division , leading to a profile in The Wall Street Journal in which she said skating ‘ felt like flying ’.) Her moment of truth arrived when fellow ice skater Don Cluff presented her with an engage-
38 PULSE ■ JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021