Shirley is a fourth-generation Floridian and a lifelong resident of Florida. She cares deeply about the history and heritage of her native state and is deeply concerned about the disregard of many toward its natural resources. With her husband and best friend Kenneth, she spends most of her time in the woods and on the water, whether the river, lake, or gulf. She loves most outdoor activities, especially hunting (more with a camera than with a gun) in her native Dixie County, where she enjoys listening to the dogs run, seeing the sun rise and set over the pine woods and marshes of the Rock Level Hunting Club, and, most importantly, spending time with her four sons and their families.
Her oldest son Ken works in industrial construction and travels all over the United States. Terry is a teacher and lives in St. Augustine. Brett is a pool finisher and still lives in Holder. Ethan, the youngest, is a teacher at Dunnellon and lives in Holder in his granny's old homeplace, which he bought when she passed away. With the grandchildren, Bobby, Caleb, Kaycee, and Will, the family spends as much time as possible at the hunting camp. There is no better time than that spent around the fire at night, without a phone ringing or TV playing, just reminiscing about years gone by and people loved and gone.
Shirley and her whole family are diehard Gator fans. Always have been, always will be. Good or bad year, it's great to be a Florida Gator! They are also pretty fanatical about the Tampa Bay Bucs. And Shirley will tell you she cannot get through a week without some music from Alabama.
Over the 14 years that Shirley has been with WTRS radio, she has seen some exciting changes and has some great memories. When she started work in 1985, WTRS was a 3000-watt station and was still located in Dunnellon. With mixed emotions she watched the station grow to a 50,000-watt country music giant and helped move the studios to their present location in Ocala. Gone forever was the small town station that covered the local football games, knew most of its listeners by name, and could play the music that its listeners wanted to hear. But the move to Ocala brought a new outlook, which was exciting in its own way. The station was in competition with other country stations and, with deregulation, part of a fast-growing market. Through all the years one thing has been true: WTRS has always been like a family, with the air personalities, sales department, and office staff working together to promote the station and stay involved in the community.
Shirley works hard to keep the station involved in the Dunnellon community, working with the Dunnellon schools and chamber of commerce to promote the area. Shirley has had the opportunity over the years to meet some interesting people through the station--country music stars, actors, football heroes, good Samaritans, and just some fine everyday people who are trying to make a difference. When the day comes to give it all up, Shirley says she will only have good memories of her days at WTRS.