Ethel Rita McBride, Associate, was a member of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York since December 1, 1990 when she took her Associate Commitment until her passing on March 26, 2015.
Ethel was born in the Bronx where she attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine (SNT) elementary and high schools. The Blauvelt Dominicans had always been a part of her life beginning in first grade with Sr. Rose Patricia through senior year with Srs. Miriam Camillus and Mary Aquin. During her senior year she volunteered typing at St. Dominic’s Library in Blauvelt with Sr. Philomena. She received her physical education and health degrees from Hunter College (BA) and Lehman College (MS).
While attending Hunter in 1960 Ethel began teaching physical education, health, science, math, and keyboarding at SNT and was the Athletic Director and Coach. She also coached teams at other schools and colleges. She was a star basketball player at SNT and captain of the basketball team at Hunter College where she was inducted into the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989. Over the years she was an AAU (American Athletic Union) member on many teams. Ethel was an athlete that played at the highest level of competition for women in basketball and softball. Ethel joined the Associates in 1990 having been introduced to the program by Srs. Margaret McDermott and Rose Ellen Gorman. She felt it was a means to strengthen her spiritual life and share more formally the values and goals both she and the sisters believed in. The Blauvelt Dominicans were her first teachers, next her co-workers, then her friends, and finally, part of her family. Ethel and her mother, who traveled everywhere with her, moved to Pearl River in 1979. After thirty years of teaching at SNT the school closed in 1991. Ethel was hired by Catholic Charities Family and Children’s Services in Spring Valley as a special service assistant. Much of her work included finding food, clothing and shelter for her clients, as well as giving them information and referrals to help them survive and improve their lives. Ethel is survived by her younger brother Robert and predeceased by older brothers Fred and Jerome.