Shirley's mother Johanna Weber was born in Marburg, Germany. Her parents met when her father, Cecil Jackson, traveled to Germany as a medic during WWII. It was there that Shirley's older brother [Cecil] Melvin "Mel" Jackson was born.
After the war, Johanna immigrated with baby Mel to the United States, and together the family grew in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Shirley's parents had her second brother, James, and then lastly, Shirley.
Growing up the youngest child and only girl, Shirley was somewhat shy and reserved, and her mother affectionately called her "Maus." Like most young girls her age, she loved to sing along with pretty much everything that would later become staples on most 'Golden Oldie' radio stations, notably The Beatles and the Supremes. She also enjoyed playing softball.
In her 20s, she met and fell in love with Fred Foreman. Unfortunately, Fred passed away at 37 years old due to medical issues. Many years later, Shirley would describe Fred as being a very sweet man who treated her very well, and she couldn't remember them ever having a fight. It was hard for her to talk about Fred, even decades later; it seemed he was the love of her life.
Shirley and her second husband Sid had only one child together; Stacey. Stacey was born with several very serious medical conditions and would pass away just two weeks after her first birthday. Eventually, the marriage would not work out, and both went their separate ways.
Shirley worked in financial services first at Anthony Wayne Bank, and then at Lincoln Financial, where she received several awards for achievement. She married a third time, and eventually decided she wanted to pursue motherhood again. She gave birth to her surviving daughter, and that is where Shirley really shined.
To her daughter, she passed along her resilience, her respect for financial independence, a deep pursuit of happiness, and a love for helping others. Her third marriage would eventually end, and Shirley alone strove to provide her daughter with opportunities that surpassed those she had herself while growing up. Shirley's inherent ability at motherhood was remarkable.
Later in life, despite significant personal & financial hardship, she continued to give as she could by donating to St. Jude Children's research hospital, a charity close to her heart. She continued to find reasons to laugh, and of course, she continued to sing.
Shirley passed away suddenly in her home in 2014. She was interred next to her first husband Fred at Center Cemetery, at a small private gathering.
After the war, Johanna immigrated with baby Mel to the United States, and together the family grew in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Shirley's parents had her second brother, James, and then lastly, Shirley.
Growing up the youngest child and only girl, Shirley was somewhat shy and reserved, and her mother affectionately called her "Maus." Like most young girls her age, she loved to sing along with pretty much everything that would later become staples on most 'Golden Oldie' radio stations, notably The Beatles and the Supremes. She also enjoyed playing softball.
In her 20s, she met and fell in love with Fred Foreman. Unfortunately, Fred passed away at 37 years old due to medical issues. Many years later, Shirley would describe Fred as being a very sweet man who treated her very well, and she couldn't remember them ever having a fight. It was hard for her to talk about Fred, even decades later; it seemed he was the love of her life.
Shirley and her second husband Sid had only one child together; Stacey. Stacey was born with several very serious medical conditions and would pass away just two weeks after her first birthday. Eventually, the marriage would not work out, and both went their separate ways.
Shirley worked in financial services first at Anthony Wayne Bank, and then at Lincoln Financial, where she received several awards for achievement. She married a third time, and eventually decided she wanted to pursue motherhood again. She gave birth to her surviving daughter, and that is where Shirley really shined.
To her daughter, she passed along her resilience, her respect for financial independence, a deep pursuit of happiness, and a love for helping others. Her third marriage would eventually end, and Shirley alone strove to provide her daughter with opportunities that surpassed those she had herself while growing up. Shirley's inherent ability at motherhood was remarkable.
Later in life, despite significant personal & financial hardship, she continued to give as she could by donating to St. Jude Children's research hospital, a charity close to her heart. She continued to find reasons to laugh, and of course, she continued to sing.
Shirley passed away suddenly in her home in 2014. She was interred next to her first husband Fred at Center Cemetery, at a small private gathering.
Shirley's mother Johanna Weber was born in Marburg, Germany. Her parents met when her father, Cecil Jackson, traveled to Germany as a medic during WWII. It was there that Shirley's older brother [Cecil] Melvin "Mel" Jackson was born.
After the war, Johanna immigrated with baby Mel to the United States, and together the family grew in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Shirley's parents had her second brother, James, and then lastly, Shirley.
Growing up the youngest child and only girl, Shirley was somewhat shy and reserved, and her mother affectionately called her "Maus." Like most young girls her age, she loved to sing along with pretty much everything that would later become staples on most 'Golden Oldie' radio stations, notably The Beatles and the Supremes. She also enjoyed playing softball.
In her 20s, she met and fell in love with Fred Foreman. Unfortunately, Fred passed away at 37 years old due to medical issues. Many years later, Shirley would describe Fred as being a very sweet man who treated her very well, and she couldn't remember them ever having a fight. It was hard for her to talk about Fred, even decades later; it seemed he was the love of her life.
Shirley and her second husband Sid had only one child together; Stacey. Stacey was born with several very serious medical conditions and would pass away just two weeks after her first birthday. Eventually, the marriage would not work out, and both went their separate ways.
Shirley worked in financial services first at Anthony Wayne Bank, and then at Lincoln Financial, where she received several awards for achievement. She married a third time, and eventually decided she wanted to pursue motherhood again. She gave birth to her surviving daughter, and that is where Shirley really shined.
To her daughter, she passed along her resilience, her respect for financial independence, a deep pursuit of happiness, and a love for helping others. Her third marriage would eventually end, and Shirley alone strove to provide her daughter with opportunities that surpassed those she had herself while growing up. Shirley's inherent ability at motherhood was remarkable.
Later in life, despite significant personal & financial hardship, she continued to give as she could by donating to St. Jude Children's research hospital, a charity close to her heart. She continued to find reasons to laugh, and of course, she continued to sing.
Shirley passed away suddenly in her home in 2014. She was interred next to her first husband Fred at Center Cemetery, at a small private gathering.
After the war, Johanna immigrated with baby Mel to the United States, and together the family grew in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Shirley's parents had her second brother, James, and then lastly, Shirley.
Growing up the youngest child and only girl, Shirley was somewhat shy and reserved, and her mother affectionately called her "Maus." Like most young girls her age, she loved to sing along with pretty much everything that would later become staples on most 'Golden Oldie' radio stations, notably The Beatles and the Supremes. She also enjoyed playing softball.
In her 20s, she met and fell in love with Fred Foreman. Unfortunately, Fred passed away at 37 years old due to medical issues. Many years later, Shirley would describe Fred as being a very sweet man who treated her very well, and she couldn't remember them ever having a fight. It was hard for her to talk about Fred, even decades later; it seemed he was the love of her life.
Shirley and her second husband Sid had only one child together; Stacey. Stacey was born with several very serious medical conditions and would pass away just two weeks after her first birthday. Eventually, the marriage would not work out, and both went their separate ways.
Shirley worked in financial services first at Anthony Wayne Bank, and then at Lincoln Financial, where she received several awards for achievement. She married a third time, and eventually decided she wanted to pursue motherhood again. She gave birth to her surviving daughter, and that is where Shirley really shined.
To her daughter, she passed along her resilience, her respect for financial independence, a deep pursuit of happiness, and a love for helping others. Her third marriage would eventually end, and Shirley alone strove to provide her daughter with opportunities that surpassed those she had herself while growing up. Shirley's inherent ability at motherhood was remarkable.
Later in life, despite significant personal & financial hardship, she continued to give as she could by donating to St. Jude Children's research hospital, a charity close to her heart. She continued to find reasons to laugh, and of course, she continued to sing.
Shirley passed away suddenly in her home in 2014. She was interred next to her first husband Fred at Center Cemetery, at a small private gathering.
