Shirley Handley grew up in San Antonio, Texas, one of five children. She met and married Dr. Duke Handley and they made their home in Corpus Christi for many years, staying busy raising their two boys and being very involved in their church, Parkdale Baptist. Later, after the boys were grown, they moved to a horse ranch on the Pedernales River in the Texas Hill Country. She later lived in Arlington, Grapevine, and Harlingen, Texas.

Shirley loved her books! She enjoyed reading and studying her whole life. Her studies included studying Art and History at Oklahoma City University and Our Lady of the Lake University.  In later years she studied sculpting and writing at the University of Corpus Christi and Del Mar College.

She was a gifted poet and writer. She spent much of her time thoughtfully and creatively working on her poems. This dedicated effort and attention to detail led to winning many National Poetry Society and Texas Poetry Society Awards and having numerous children's stories and poems published.  She was a lifetime member of the Texas Poetry Society, serving for almost 10 years as the State Chairman for their Poetry in Schools Program, and was a member of several writing and poetry clubs, including the Nautilus Study Club, The Byliners, Corpus Christi Writers, Sandpipers Poetry Society, Austin Poetry Society, Tarrant County Poets, and the Fort Worth Poetry Society.

Shushu, as she was called by her grandkids, was also thrilled to become a grandmother, having many fun days and outings with her beloved grandchildren. She couldn't wait to share a story with them. She would be the grandparent to visit on Grandparents Day, share lunch up at the school, and even go on the occasional field trip.  In her later years, she loved to garden, growing delicious tomatoes and beautiful flowers, especially roses. Also, having been bedridden for some time as a child, she had great appreciation for the beauty of birds and trees, having observed both for many months outside her window.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Duke Handley and survived by her two sons, Mark and his wife Jill, Pierce and his fiancee Esmer, and grandchildren Jack Handley, Lane Aday and her husband Andrew Aday, and Carolyn Handley.