Shirley serves as Parish Advisor at Eastminster. Her primary ministry includes teaching regularly in the adult Sunday School program, assisting Rev. Robertson in the regular visitation and pastoral care of the members, and assisting in the leadership of the Board of Deacons. Shirley has been at Eastminster since 1991, where she originally served as a part-time Associate Pastor for Christian Education. Since 1994 she has been serving Eastminster as a part-time Parish Associate.

Rev. Paxton is a graduate of Wellesley College with a major in Biblical History and of Union Seminary, New York City with a Master of Divinity. She was ordained in 1985 in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and served as the Assistant Pastor for Christian Education in the Ponds Reformed Church in Oakland, New Jersey. Later she served at the West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey as the Interim Associate for Pastoral Care. Even prior to seminary, Shirley was very active in the church as a church school teacher for children and adults, an accompanist, singer and choir member, and director of a children's choir. She was ordained as an Elder at the West Side Church.

Shirley and her husband Bill have four daughters and seven grandchildren who live around the world. She and her husband Bill settled in East Lansing in 1991 to be closer to their summer home on Lake Michigan. While there, Shirley is involved in the life of the community church serving the 80 cottages in that area.