Shirley attended various schools: Colonel Light Gardens, Golden Square, Murray Bridge, and Alberton Primary School. Her secondary education was at Adelaide Girls High, and her final year at Unley High School.

From an early age Shirley loved to sing and read. Reading, music and netball were Shirley's favourite hobbies. Her biggest dream was to be a ballerina but that was never an option for her parents to permit.

Shirley graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in composition and piano. Later she obtained her Graduate Diploma of Education through the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales.

Further post-graduate studies followed with a Master of Education, in Curriculum Development and Online Teaching with the University of Southern Queensland. A couple of years later Shirley achieved a Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship through Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Victoria. Further to her studies she obtained a Bachelor of Education in Religious Studies and finally a Master of Arts; Creative Writing with Swinburne University.

Shirley May’s interests include music, social concerns, writing, poetry, reading, music, composing, surfing and fishing.

Shirley May plays fourteen instruments and enjoys teaching these instruments to children and adults, beginners and advanced students. Her favorite instruments are the piano, cello and clarinet. Shirley enjoys composing music for instrumental and orchestral music.

Shirley May worked for four years as a nurse at the Adelaide children's Hospital. She enjoyed working in theatre and Rose Ward with babies less than three months. Shirley May was drawn to nursing when she stood at the glass viewing window of Rose Ward observing her critically ill nephew and other babies. Their dilemma and pain tugged at her heart strings. A few months later she enjoyed helping suffering sick children.

After a few years of marriage when Shirley worked in an office the greatest most wonderful moment of her life was when her son, Ben, was born. What joy he bought into her life.

Shirley's career as a Music teacher commenced with teaching students the piano privately at home in order to be a stay at home mother.

When her son finished his schooling Shirley and her husband entered the ministry as Salvation Army officers. Not long after their marriage dissolved Shirley taught classroom Music, English and Religious Education in various schools in South Australia and New South Wales until a paralyzed vocal cord prevented her from communicating vocally in a classroom.