Shirley Smith Wilbert, 86, of Dacula, GA, died Friday, October 14, 2022. Mrs. Wilbert has been cremated and will be transported to Missouri for services and interment.
Shirley Rose Smith Wilbert was born in Detroit, Michigan to Bardella (nee Berry) and Jay Wilson Smith. She was the wife of Jesse, the mother of three daughters, Catherine, Karen and Carla; and grandmother to two grandsons, Jarrod Anthony Banks and Aaron Alexander Cotton. Her favorite times were those spent with her family. She believed that “God granted me His greatest blessing, and brought me profound joy when He allowed me to share the lives of my daughters and grandsons. I never cease celebrating their being”.
Shirley was educated in Michigan receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University, a Master of Education degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science in Library Science degree and a Doctor of Philosophy from Wayne State University.
She served as a School Library Media Specialist for the Detroit Public Schools for seventeen years, a Librarian for the Detroit Public Library for three years and a Professional Development Analyst for Chrysler Learning, Inc in Centerline, Michigan for a year and a half.
Shirley left Michigan in 1977 to accept a position at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where se remained until her retirement in 1998. She served the University as a Professor of Library Media Studies, and in several administrative roles, namely, Associate Dean, Associate Vice Chancellor, and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. Sher published articles in several professional journals, and authored a textbook, Learning in Today’s Library Media Center: A Competency Based Guide for Students of Librarianship (1979). She was principal author of two highly acclaimed academic planning and curriculum review models used by the University. She was primary author of a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship federal grant proposal which provided support for minority graduate students at the University. Her biography is listed in The World’s Who’s Who of Women (1983) and Who’s Who in Library and Information Science (1982). In 1990, she received the Wisconsin Women In Education Award given by the American Association of University Women.
Upon retirement, encouraged by her Grandson, Aaron, lovingly called her “muse”, Shirley began to nurture her passion for writing poetry. She wrote, “this is a genre that has an imaginative power, and a beauty that touches my soul”. She published poems in Offerings: A Poetry Quarterly, Well Versed: The Literary Magazine of the Columbia Chapter of Missouri Writer’s Guild, New Mirage Quarterly and a chapbook of poems by Good Samaritan Press. She was elected to the Poet’s Sulu Sea Circle of the Mirage Group for the year 2000. To support her writing, she joined the Missouri Writer’s Guild, the state’s officially recognized professional writing organization. She was also an active member of the Columbia chapter of the Guild, and served as its secretary (2000) and its president (2002).
She enjoyed membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Kappa Chi Omega Chapter where she held the office of Grammeteus (2001-02). Other memberships included Columbia Newcomers, Mirage Group of Southern California, and a host of professional organizations.
Shirley was a member St. Thomas More Newman Center where she served as a Mass lector and Communion Minister.
Shirley’s favorite hobbies included a passion for collecting Llahdro porcelain from Spain, reading just about everything, but particularly fantasy and mystery novels; playing bridge at every opportunity; and travel. She visited most of the lower forty-eight states, Hawaii, five of the Canadian provinces, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Africa, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji and Australia. Her favorite spots on the globe were Canada, the Hawaiian Islands, Christchurch, New Zealand and Greece.
Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel 770-945-6924 Share memories of Shirley at hamiltonmillchapel.com
Hamilton Mill Chapel 770-945-6924 Share memories of Shirley at hamiltonmillchapel.com
