In 1945 her first child Dennis was born, followed in the next few years by a sister Diane and a brother Doug. Shirley worked nights in the hospital so she could care for the children during the days.
Subsequent careers - necessitated by family moves, acquiring degrees and certifications as needed were - school nursing in 1960s; high school counseling; elementary teaching and graduate school in counseling.
In the 1970s - 1980s, after a small inheritance from her parents, Shirley began investing in small rental houses, building a successful real estate portfolio, while supporting Grant's career in Education, hosting many faculty and staff parties, and caring for her aging father-in-law.