Shirley Ann Walker Boles was born in Indianapolis, IN, on December 19, 1935 to Roger and Leona (Wall) Walker. She is the great granddaughter of Edna and Frank Harrison of Noblesville, IN. Frank Harrison is a distant relative of both William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison. She was married in 1956 to John Curtis Boles, formally of Robbins, TN. Mrs. Boles currently resides in Venice, Florida.
She is a graduate of Shortridge High School and a former employee of Indiana Bell. Her community activities included membership in Job’s Daughters, performing as a clogging dancer with Circle City Cloggers, and being a long-time member of Epworth United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Boles studied piano at Welking Music on Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis; she also gave private home lessons. She studied on a “Hamilton” upright piano which was a gift from nearby neighbors, the Eller brothers. While she was a student of piano for eight years her favorite style of music was contemporary music, but she also loved studying the classics. Much of her older music was gifted to her from Johnnie Johnson, an older piano student in her neighborhood.
Mrs. Boles has four children: Mike Boles of Poland, IN; Karen Ortega of Evanston, IL; Steve Boles of Noblesville, IN; and Julie Blanchard of Phoenix, AZ. She also has 15 grandchildren.