Joanne Shelford was born in Rotorua and was educated at Western Heights High School. She continued her studies in Karitane Nursing at Mt Albert, Auckland. She married Wayne (Buck) Shelford in 1980 and had two children. She received a certificate in Kohanga Reo as Kaiawhina in 1985-86 and worked on a Bachelor of Māori Studies at Te Ara Poutama at Auckland Institute of Technology. She is interested in writing for Kohanga Reo.
Biographical sources
- Phone conversation with Joanne Shelford 24 July 1998.
- Shelford, Joanne. "E Te Whanau." Buck: The Wayne Shelford Story: As Told to Wynne Gray. Auckland, N.Z.: Moa, 1990. 162-169. Rpt. Sept. 1990.
Non-fiction
- "E te Whanau." Buck: The Wayne Shelford Story: As told to Wynne Gray. Auckland, N.Z.: Moa Publications, 1990. Rpt Sept 1990. 162-169.
- Shelford writes one chapter in Buck Shelford’s autobiography in which she describes her life married to Buck and presents a perspective on the rugby world from the position of an All Black’s wife.