Shirley Baddger was born on February 4, 1933, to Grady and Maud Boulware in Cleveland, Ohio. She was one of three children.

Shirley attended Cleveland Public Schools and graduated from Glenville High School in 1951. In 1952, she married Ernest Baddger, moved to Wickliffe, Ohio, and started a family. To this union, four children were born.

Shirley was a homemaker until her youngest child began school. She then began working for Bailey Meters as a machinist and served as a union steward until her retirement. She was also the lead singer in the choir at Wickliffe Presbyterian Church. She was gifted in singing opera and classical music until the early 1960s when she developed a thyroid condition.

Shirley was passionate about her family, especially her four boys. She championed them and was a fierce protector. Her sons tell the story of how, as children, they and other neighborhood kids came together and formed several singing groups. Shirley and the other children’s parents supported them by cooking and selling chicken dinners to raise money for matching outfits for the aspiring singers. This went on for three years.

Shirley enjoyed traveling, singing, bowling, and golfing. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she was a member of the Champs Social Club and the Inner City Ski Bums. During the summer months, she spent a great deal of time in Orwell, Ohio, at Midway Lake and the Double Ten Ranch, enjoying a variety of activities with family and friends. Shirley enjoyed camping throughout her life. Her last camping trip was in August 2024.

Shirley had a love for music and would always dance when the beat moved her. She loved collecting all sorts of jewelry and wearing nice clothes. In her later years, she developed a love for western movies, gummy bears, and Pepsi. She also enjoyed talking to her family members on the phone and would give a report on who called her. Shirley always looked forward to her daily visit from her son Rennie, who was also her caregiver.

Shirley was known for her quick wit and sense of humor. She would greet family and friends by saying, “I haven’t seen you since the last time.” She would also ask if you had been good. If your response was yes, she’d reply, “Aww, that ain’t no fun.” She’d bid you goodbye by saying, “If you can’t be good, then be careful.” Shirley lived a good life and will be missed by all. To know her was to love her.

On March 25, 2025, Shirley’s work on earth was complete, and God peacefully called her home.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Grady and Maud Boulware; her brother, Teddy; her grandsons, Ramone and Christopher Williams; and her daughter-in-law, Mary Baddger.

Shirley leaves to cherish her memory four sons: Ernest Baddger (Jacqueline Key), Donnie Baddger, Renwick Baddger (Rosemary Rozell-Baddger), and Timothy C. Baddger (Lisa Baddger); one sister, Debra Mitchell; 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and extended family.