Hi @rr-4098,
Thanks for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.
You are correct, do not delete the old user's account because it is needed to locate the shared mailbox. If the user account has been deleted, you need to restore the user's account first and then add the member to the shared mailbox.
Refer to: Convert a user mailbox to a shared mailbox - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn
Restore a user - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" because it can help other members of the Microsoft Q&A community who have encountered similar problems and are looking for solutions. Thank you.
Best,
Jeanne