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Sheila McBride was born at 15 Hartley Street, Spring Hill, Brisbane, on the 23rd February, 1917 the second child of Alexander and Olive McBride. Her brother, Alex predeceased her in 1993 and her younger sister Olive lives at Laidley. She commenced school at St Patrick’s The Valley with the Mercy Sisters situated in Ivory Street. Then after two years attended the Good Samaritans at Wilston where the family had settled in 1923. Having passed Scholarship in 1930 she did a five-five year pupil teacher training at Mercy Training College at Nudgee. After graduation in 1935 Sheila taught at St Columba’s, Wilston for five years while keeping house for her father and sister, as her mother had died, After her sister had finished her teacher training and was prepared to take Sheila’s place at home she entered the novitiate at Pennant Hills on 2nd February, 1941.

She was professed in 1944 and then taught at Marrickville, Rozelle and Canberra before going to Tully in 1952. At different times 16 years were s pent in North Queensland. She also taught at Coorparoo, East Brisbane, Toowoomba and Grovely. Her teaching days finished at Hughenden in 1973. She moved to Lourdes Hill where she lived for 9 years looking after the chapel. Her intense commitment to her ministry of teaching is evident by what she wrote on finishing this ministry in 1973 “ As I tore up notes etc, I have carried around with me,it was like tearing out a corner of my heart. I’ve really never left school since the day I started as a five year old.” In 1983 she moved out to Oakey, Kingaroy, Gayndah and Mitchelton doing parish visitation, and transferred to Holy Spirit Home, Carseldine in 2001, where her prayerfulness and gentle disposition endeared her to all