Shirley Bush was born December 14, 1931 to Samuel Newton Bush and Ida Betty Sims. Samuel was a coal miner and the family lived on Plum Run in Chartiers Twp., Washington County, Pa. In the 1940 census, Shirley had an older brother, Samuel, Jr., and two younger sisters, Mary and Vanetta.

After graduating from Canonsburg High School in the Class of 1949, Shirley entered the nursing program at St. Francis as one of the first African-American students; the first Black students graduated in 1950.

Shirley married Donald Emory Smith.

The death of Shirley Adrian Bush Smith occurred on August 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.