Shirley Mae King was born on November 11, 1938 to the union of Cardelia Ward and Alan Ward, who raised her with a strong foundation in Jesus Christ. She married Marvin King in 1962, and soon after the two of them became Jehovah's Witnesses, actively serving for Jehovah's Kingdom.

Shirley was a beloved mother to her daughter Nicole and worked as a manager of home healthcare services for Blue Cross Blue Shield. After her retirement, she and Marvin continued as enthusiastic servants in the kingdom of Jehovah.

Shirley greatly enjoyed spending time with Marvin, Nicole, and her two grandchildren, Sydney and Nicholas, and traveling with them and their brothers and sisters in Jehovah.

Shirley departed this life on January 4, 2025. She is preceded in death by her husband, Marvin, her daughter, Nicole Crawford, and her sister, Dorothy Franks. She leaves to mourn her passing her grandchildren, Sydney and Nicholas Crawford; her daughter-in-law, Felicia Graham; her nephews, Brian Franks, Dominique Franks, Richard Burrell, Terry Burrell, Marszlar Burrell, and her nieces, Kimberly Ellis, Coy Burrell, and Ebony Willet; and a host of other family and friends.