sister Mary David Barker

Mary Barker was born in Richmond, in Victoria on 11 December 1905. She was the sixth child of eight children born to Robert and Mary Barker (nee Devereux)

Mary commenced school at St Ignatius, Richmond with the F.C.J. Sisters. With her family she moved to Yambuk (Western Victoria) and attended St Josephs School. She then went on to St Patricks School, Port Fairy where she studied for scholarship. During this period she won first place in Victoria in the Irish History National Foresters Scholarship. For her Intermediate & Leaving Examinations she attended Santa Maria College in Caroline Street and won the Shakespeare competition in 1923.

Mary entered the the Good Samaritan Novitiate at Balmain on 2 July 1927 and took the name of Sister M David. Later that year the novices moved to the newly -opened Novitiate at Pennant Hills where Sr M David made her first profession on 7 January 1930.

While teaching at St Scholasticas College at Glebe, Sr M David completed her teacher training and registration examinations.

Her appointments were as follows:
1930-33 Secondary Teacher at St Scholasticas College, Glebe Point

1934-42 Secondary Teacher at Lourdes Hill College, Brisbane

1943-51 Secondary Teacher at St Josephs, Nambour

1952-58 Secondary Teacher at St Marks, Port Pirie

1959-63 Secondary Teacher at St Marys College, Hamilton

1964-67 Secondary Teacher at Santa Maria College, Northcote

1968-70 Secondary Teacher/Superior/Principal at St Josephs, Korumburra

1971-73 Secondary Teacher at Marymount College

1974-83 Librarian at Marymount College until retirement

1984-85 Community Ministry, Seacombe Gardens

1986-98 Community Ministry, Thornbury

13 August 1998 Prayer Ministry at Marian House Hostel, Northcote.

After a long illness, Sr David died at Villa Maria, Bundoora on 20 February 2000, aged 94 years and in the seventy third year of her religious life.