Shirley Naomi Rosen Muse

Shirley Naomi Rosen Muse passed away peacefully at home with her daughter by her side, on January 28, 2025, at the age of 97. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, on August 31, 1927, to Harry and Elizabeth Rosen, Shirley graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1944 before continuing her studies at both the Texas Women’s University and the Kansas City Art Institute. It was in Kansas that Shirley met Elmer Schlein, and the two were married in 1949. The couple returned to Port Arthur, where Elmer joined the Rosen family business and Shirley, an avid equestrian, established the Tidewater Farms riding stable. In the years that followed, Shirley and Elmer raised four children, Benalu, Kirk, Anthony, and Elizabeth, with Shirley moving her young family to Houston in the early 1970s to join her brother, Fred Rosen, and his wife, Marian. The second half of her life brought much change, but also much stability. Shirley opened the English saddlery business, Fox’s Lair, and cultivated a loving and fulfilling life for herself and her family, alongside her second husband, Allan Muse, to whom she was married in 1983. A compassionate and fiercely loyal woman, Shirley loved nothing more than gathering her friends and family closely together. Her home was open to all, and she could be frequently found in its center, the kitchen, entertaining anyone who happened to walk in the door. Shirley was just as welcoming to animals and pets, rescuing several strays over the years and finding them loving homes if she could not take them herself. Outside of her home life, Shirley was a dedicated patron of the arts, frequently in attendance at both the Alley Theatre and Houston Grand Opera. She was also a longstanding member of Congregation Emanu El. A modern woman ahead of her time, Shirley was fiercely independent throughout her life. She took a keen interest in both travel and culture, while a lifelong curiosity in winemaking led to her eventual knighthood into the Brotherhood of the Vine. She was a vocal advocate of AIDS education at a time when the illness still held much stigma, and she fought with strong-willed passion for the people and causes she most believed in. Shirley cared deeply for those she held dear. She was a tireless advocate and pilar of support for so many over the years, and everyone who knew her will forever remember the unique role she played in their lives. Shirley was loved just as devotedly as she loved others. She was a treasured mother to her four children, beloved by her grandchildren, Natasha, Joshua, Silvie and Theadora, cherished by her great grandchildren, Eva, Eidan, and Roselyn, and adored by her nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her brothers Benjamin and Fred Rosen, her husband, Allan Muse, and her son, Kirk Schlein. Shirley will be profoundly missed, her loving memory and legacy preserved by not only her entire extended family but also the many people who were fortunate enough to know her during her long and accomplished life. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Shirley’s dedicated team of caregivers and request that any dedications be made via donation in her name to: Best Friends Animal Society Los Angeles, https://bestfriends.org/donate/remembering-an-animal-lover. A celebration of life for Shirley will be arranged at a future date.

Shirley Naomi Rosen Muse

August 31, 1927 - January 28, 2025