Shirley was born at home in Washington, D.C., on September 23, 1931, to the late Carl and Opal Viehmeyer and is the older sister of the late Patricia Ann Bolduc. Shirley is the mother of 5 children, twins Diane Denise and Deborah Dawn, daughter Joanne Carlene, son Scott Carl and the late Joseph Edward. There are 13 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.
Shirley was born a singer and as a young woman was all set to attend Juilliard School in New York for dance, drama and music. Just about that time, she met her husband to be, Joseph Edward McIlwain. She was 17 and he was 19. They fell in love and were married and they had twin babies and she postponed her music career.
She sang after the children were older with local bands in Maryland. Eventually she stopped singing and 20 years went by. Amazingly, at the age of 63 her voice was restored and she began to sing professionally at many churches, weddings and nursing homes.
Shirley grew up in the 1940’s and was a talented dancer, seamstress, cook, baker and wedding cake designer. She made wedding cakes for so many happy couples and cheesecakes were her specialty which she sold to restaurants.
Interment will be private at Meadowlawn Memorial Gardens, in New Port Richey, Fl. There will be a pending memorial in her honor March 2020 in New Port Richey.
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