Shirley P. Ford-Nichol was called home to glory on Monday, May 11, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering faith, fierce love, and joyful generosity. Born on July 11, 1971, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Shirley was a woman whose life was a testament to the grace of God and the beauty of a life lived in full purpose. Rooted in faith from her carliest years, Shirley received her foundational education at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Jersey City, where the seeds of her devotion were first planted. She went on to graduate from the Academy of Saint Aloysius in 1989 and in 1993 earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology/ Medical Social Work from Bloomfield College - a degree that reflected her God-given calling to serve and care for others. Shirley's professional life was a natural extension of her heart for service. She began her career with Newark Emergency Services for Families before dedicating herself to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (formerly the Division of Youth and Family Services) in New Jersey, where she faithfully served families for decades, retiring in 2023 as a Supervising Family Service Specialist IT. In every role, she was not merely an employee - she was an advocate, a guardian, and a light. Faith was the cornerstone of Shirley's life. A devoted member of Deliverance Evangelistic Center in Newark,New Jersey, it was within that sacred community that she found her husband, David Nichol, whom she married in 2000, and built a life rooted in covenant love. Shirley would later become a "watch care" member of the Bibleway Deliverance Center of Roselle, NJ. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated since 1992, Shirley's Greek journey began at the Psi Lambda Chapter as an undergraduate and continued through her devoted service in the Sigma Zeta Zeta Chapter of Hudson County as a graduate member. Throughout her years of sisterhood, she served in numerous capacities - including 2nd Vice President, Parliamentarian, Chapter Chaplain, Fundraiser Chairperson, Bylaws Committee Chairperson, Member of the New Members Intake Committee, and ZHope Committee member. Her leadership was not merely positional; it was personal. In 2016, the sorors of Sigma Zeta Zeta bestowed upon her the distinguished honor of Zeta of the Year - a recognition voted on by her sisters for the member who worked tirelessly for the chapter while exemplifying Sisterly Love and Finer Womanhood in its truest form. It was an honor that captured exactly who Shirley was : someone who gave her all, not for recognition, but because service was simply in her nature. To know Shirley was to know laughter, warmth and an abundance of love. She was the friend & family member who showed up with a prayer, a plate of food or a perfectly crafted cocktail in hand. A gifted cook and creative hostess, she had an extraordinary talent for bringing people together around a table and making everyone feel cherished. She was funny, generous and fierce - a true prayer warrior who never stopped interceding for the people she loved. She was preceded in death by her father, Herman James Ford and her brother, Donald P. Ford, along with grandparents, aunts and uncles. She Leaves to cherish her memory, husband David E. Nichol, sons : Daniel James & Jonathan David Nichol, granddaughter Mariah Dainelle Nichol, Loving mother; Shirley T. Ford, Three brothers; Ronald H. Ford, Stacey J. Ford & Overseer Vincent E. Ford. (bonus Brother & sister) Jack and Jeanette (Cookie) Teamor, Three Brothers in Law Derrick Ralph Jr, & Christopher Nichol, Six Sister in Laws, Kim Ford, Yvette Nichol, Arnecia Nichol, Dawn Nichol-Manning, Cherise Nichol - Rawls, Nicole Nichol. Her two best sister friends for over forty years, Joy Dorsey Whiting & Sonya Burnham. Five Aunts, a host of nieces, Nephews, Cousins & Friends who will forever treasure her memory and the love and joy she brought to their lives.