Shirley Jean Harper (Lockman) Brown was born on August 12, 1940, in Greenville, MS to Owen and Flora (Williams) Harper. She moved with the family to Fort Dodge in 1952 as her father had come earlier to work in the gypsum industry. She attended school in Fort Dodge and earned her GED. She also took classes at Iowa Central Community College in Criminal Justice. She worked at Trinity Regional Hospital, the Women's Reformatory in Rockwell City, and was Assistant Director of the Webster County Daycare. She took a job at Arrowhead Education Agency which led to her employment as the Home School Liaison for the Fort Dodge Community District from which she retired in 2002. She passed away at Paula Baber Hospice House on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.

Shirley married James (Jim) Lockman in 1957 and they later divorced. They had three sons, Alan (Nancy) Lockman, Farnhamville, IA, Daniel Lockman, Fort Dodge, IA and David Lockman, Minneapolis, MN, and her aunt, Maggie Moore. She was married to Judge Brown, Jr. in 1993 and they created a great and loving partnership.

She is preceded in death by her parents, brother, William, Suffolk VA, sister and brother-in-law, Edna and Robert Lockman, Fort Dodge, IA. Survivors include husband, Judge; sons, Alan, Danny and David; niece, Debra Lockman, Tacoma, WA, nephews, Kevin and Lance Lockman, Fort Dodge, IA, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Shirley attended the Community Bible Study for about ten years where it became a group discussion at St. Olaf Lutheran Church. She was lover of Blues music and a big fan of John Legend's music. She loved sewing and often made her own clothes. She loved travel and took many trips to North Carolina with Judge to visit his family. She and Judge loved dancing and she could "strut her stuff" on the hardwood. She will be sorely missed by many who knew and loved her. Shirley donated her body to the University of Iowa College of Medicine and requested no memorial service.

Memorials may be left to the Salvation Army or to the Beacon of Hope.