Mum (Shirley) was born halfway through World War II in 1943, she was the 4th and youngest child to be born into her family, her father Maurice had been conscripted into the army as a Private, her mother worked in a local factory. Shirley had two elder sisters and an elder brother, all much older than her, her sisters twelve years plus and her brother seven years older. Because of the age difference they all in turn made such a lot of fuss of their ‘baby sister’ in her early years. This may have eventually helped to give Shirley that supreme air of confidence most apparent later on in her life.

Shirley was born & raised in Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, the most easterly town in Great Britain. Her ‘Nan’ and Grandad (a fisherman) lived next door so while Shirley’s mum was working Shirley would stay with her Nan, again, someone who adored her. It is no wonder Shirley would turn out to be such a hugely confident person with all the love and attention she received during her childhood.

Her father’s pay as an army private barely kept the family fed and Shirley used to describe how her mother coped by having a savings tin for every possible utility bill and the family somehow managed. In later life as a wife & mother Shirley was extremely frugal, a throwback to those early years.

After the war years times were still tough for Shirley and her family as her father could only find seasonal work. Her oldest sister however, became engaged to and eventually married an American airman and her home was then often full of American servicemen and much laughter, all making such a fuss of the much younger sister Shirley (chocolate was then in short supply in UK).

Shirley had an extremely happy childhood, she lived very near a wonderful park in Oulton Broad, which had an outdoor heated pool, play areas, tennis courts etc. Shirley would jokingly relate that as a very young teenager she would be told to leave the park by the park keeper at the evening closing time “Shirley Reeve, if you don’t leave the park right now, I’ll tell your mother”. Also it was Shirley’s home where all the other kids wanted to visit at Christmas. It had such a wonderful atmosphere. At school Shirley concentrated more on her sporting side rather than on the academic (Shirley represented Suffolk County at running, she was extremely pretty and popular at  school then (the running came in handy with all the boys chasing her?). 

As a slightly older teenager Shirley had three main hobbies, dancing, roller skating and not least, boyfriends, pretty standard for a teenager, by now she had turned into a very pretty & confident teenager with a very lively personality. Then she met Dad (Alan). Mum & Dad first met at the Floral Hall dance hall Gorleston, Norfolk. Dad was 19, Mum was 16. Dad was on weekend leave from the Navy.  There followed a 2 year courtship before before they were married in Oulton Broad just before Christmas 1961. Dad always says that Shirley was his best Christmas present ever.  Alan was then serving on a ship based in Portsmouth so they decided to have their honeymoon in Southsea, they didn’t mind, they were young & madly in love. Alan's ship was due to sail to the Persian gulf for a whole year so Shirley followed Alan around the UK coast (Weymouth, Plymouth) staying in B&Bs until Alan's ship had finally sailed. Shirley then returned home to live with her mum & dad for the duration of Alan's absence and continued back to her old job. Little did Shirley realise but this would be a foretaste of what being a naval wife would for her while dad remained in the Navy (twenty five years).

In the meantime, whilst apart they had both saved hard to buy their first home on, where on Alan's return one year later, their first son Paul was born, Even so, the birth had to be induced as Alan was due to go abroad to the Far East for 10 months. So three days  before Alan flew out to Singapore Shirley gave birth. Some wives may have wilted at these occurrences but Shirley thrived on them, she was a very strong person and took all this in her stride.

On Alan's return from the Far East they moved down to the south coast for three years while Alan enrolled on an engineering course.
Normal married life for Shirley at last! 

Shirley & Alan enjoyed their three years together with the result that Shirley gave birth to two other sons, Robert & Michael, before all the family moved to live in Singapore for two years; this was the icing on the cake for Shirley. She had a Chinese servant to help look after the house & children, while she made the most of it playing netball, swimming, pool gazing cabaret, pantomime, partying/socialising etc. Shirley flourished in the Singapore environment. At last, those long separations were over? oh NO they weren’t. 

Alan & Shirley, on return from Singapore  bought a new  house in Titchfield Common and Shirley eventually started to go out to work.
She also joined a young  mothers club called 'The Ladybirds,' a fun loving group of ladies who primarily  raised money for charity by performing an annual cabaret, community dances and other events. It won't surprise anyone to find out Shirley ended up as their Chairwoman. Life for Shirley now had become pretty hectic, Alan was chairman of a boys  football club and Shirley was helping him with fundraising. She had also joined the Warsash Carnival Committee.

Though Shirley was leading a full & busy life, she did not neglect her family, for instance, whilst all the three sons were playing football each weekend in the winter, Shirley with Alan would transport them and  spectate, this for over a period of five years. Shirley also enjoyed her holidays with Alan and the boys. Later on, she with Alan would spend weekends taking the grandchildren out caravanning in the New Forest (she loved the New Forest) or out sailing on Alan's boat to the IOW or on family holidays (Norfolk Broads, Lowestoft and Swanage).

Shirley was very good at fundraising etc, using her bubbly personality, her attractiveness (she was a real good looker) and lively energy to her advantage. She was also the full time manager of an Art shop in Portsmouth, add to that Alan was now out of the Navy now but was still working abroad for one year, Shirley was also on the social committee of her local sailing club, organising social events, plus she was raising up her three teenage sons without their Dad being there, and overseeing extension work on their new home in Warsash.

After Alan's return from working abroad, Alan's company had a big new contract in London which meant Alan having to stay in a London hotel Monday to Saturday six days a week for a whole year. At the same Shirley started working with a housing development/construction company, selling their new houses from the on-site 'show house'. Shirley really loved her new job, she was a natural saleswoman and was very well thought of and successful in her work. Shirley continued with this work nearly up to her retirement.

Sadly, not long into retirement Shirley started to have symptoms of the illness she was to eventually die from.
 
To summarise Shirley's (Mum's) life:

Shirley had a very happy childhood 
 
Shirley fell in love with  & married a sailor (married 58 years)
 
 Shirley had  a very adventurous life which involved travel (USA), living abroad(Singapore), with lots of overseas holidays
 
 Shirley gave birth to & raised three sons, mostly by herself
 
Due to her husbands' work (RN) & hobby(sailing) Shirley had several & long periods of separation from her husband during her marriage
 
Shirley was an extremely talented saleswoman

Shirley was an extremely attractive & personable woman with a bubbly personality, who loved socialising & she was very beautiful!
 
Last but not least Shirley displayed a strong character whenever it was needed.