Contributed by Beverly Frank- [email protected]
“I love my life, feel extremely lucky and have no regrets.” Shirley G.
Shirley is 95 years young and lights up any room with her energy, optimism and zest for life. She was born on Grand Island, a small town near Omaha, Nebraska. Her parents were born in Russia, survived tough times and cherished moving to the United States “When my parents arrived in the U.S., Hebrew Immigration Aid Society was our family lifesaver, they fed and clothed us, taught us how to speak English and made us feel like family.”
Although the family struggled financially during the depression, they were rich in their love for each other. Shirley credits her early days for her “can do” outlook on life. She was especially close to her oldest brother and several sisters. She met her late husband on a blind date. He was immediately smitten with her beauty and charm. They married, raised four wonderful sons and moved to Los Angeles. Her husband was a dedicated entrepreneur, owned two women’s retail stores and became very successful. Shirley had a natural flair for fashion. They worked hard, combined their talents and their business flourished.
Shirley is a gifted artist and has decorated her room with several of her exquisite paintings. She’s an avid reader and surrounds herself with positive individuals who share her love of life. Shirley’s looking forward to celebrating her upcoming 96th birthday. “As my parents lives were forever changed by HIAS, moving into this extraordinary Selfhelp Home community has made all the difference! I have no regrets about anything and embrace each new day!”