On the morning of October 12, 2026, Sheana Davis passed away surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with aggressive stage 4 esophageal cancer. As Karina, Ben, Bob, and Cas process and grieve this loss, we are hoping to honor Sheana and her legacy of love and care by helping to give her the farewell that she deserves.

If you lived in Sonoma, you knew Sheana, or you ate something that she had a hand in providing. This award-winning cheesemaker, educator, and community advocate touched everyone she met. She was the epitome of kindness and she spent her life feeding, caring for, and organizing the people around her, both here in Sonoma and far beyond. Food was never just food to Sheana. It was a means to bring people together to the same table and build connections.

Sheana was also a trailblazer. As co-founder of Farm Trails, she helped connect local farms with the neighbors who depend on them. She was always so proud to harvest and share Sonoma's produce and spent the early days in her career working alongside Paul's Produce, Cannard Farms, and Oakhill Farm, to name a few while little Karina would enjoy harvesting berries and carrots. She worked diligently to promote the California Cheese Trail, and collaborated with countless family-owned shops and creameries across the country. She created accessible culinary arts programs and classes for young people at the Sonoma Community Center and the Sonoma Teen Center, offering kids the skills and confidence that they carried far beyond the kitchen. She collaborated with chefs, farmers, and cheesemakers to help preserve MFK Fisher's Last House, conduct an annual fundraiser and warm clothing drive for Women and Children with the YWCA, and enhance opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the culinary industry with Les Dames d'Escoffier of Sonoma County.

In 2017, during the Sonoma wildfires, Sheana created the No Pay Café / Café Gratis to address food insecurity and make certain that Sonoma’s seniors and most vulnerable populations received over 200,000 healthy, nourishing meals. Again and again, she gave her time, her talent, and her heart to others, often without being asked, and often at her own expense.

Why We’re Asking for Your Help:

Sheana spent her life taking care of everyone else. Now her family needs our help in return.

Her illness brought significant medical expenses, and her family now faces funeral costs on top of them. No one should have to carry that weight while grieving.

Your gift will help ensure that Sheana’s passing is marked with the dignity she deserves, and that her husband, Ben Sessions, and her daughter, Karina Davis, can focus on healing rather than bills. Your donation serves as a tribute to her unforgettable legacy.

The Epicurean Connection, which she owned and ran with Ben, Karina and her amazing staff, will continue to their good work. If there’s an opportunity to send them referrals for classes, please do. Sheana may have been the face of the organization, but her talented team still carries on with the same passion and know-how as they have for many years.

How Your Donation Will Be Used:

*A memorial bench in Sonoma- a place where Karina and others can sit, remember, and trade stories about the woman who brought them together

*Recent medical expenses related to Sheana’s intensive cancer treatment

*Funeral and memorial costs

*Donations to hunger-relief organizations and youth organizations in Sonoma

Whatever you can give, whether five dollars or five hundred, will be received with deep gratitude. If you are unable to give, please share this page with someone who might be moved to do so.

A Celebration of Life:

Karina, Ben, Cas, and Bob are planning a celebration of life for Sheana in January. Details will be posted here as they become available. We hope to see you there, with a story to share. They would love if you could write down any special memories or share photos with Sheana in the meantime.

Thank you for helping us honor the spirit, generosity, and kindness of an amazing woman who fed this community so selflessly for decades. May Sheana's love shine bright and inspire us to lift each other up and celebrate her in community with one another.