I also attended SIU Carbondale, with a major in English, graduated from Joliet Junior College with an associate degree in vocal music, then Wheaton College with a B.A. in vocal music and a minor in Communications (theater). Finally, I graduated from National-Louis University with an MAT in Elementary Education. I am currently working on high school certification in music from Vandercook School of Music in Chicago.

My husband of 35 years is James McBride and we have three adult sons, three daughters-in-law, and four and 1/3 grandchildren.

We lived in the Chicago area for 23 years, where I began teaching social studies, English, and science at Marquardt Middle School. When we returned to southern Illinois in 2002, I taught one year at Rend Lake College. Last year I taught part time at Woodlawn High School and part time at Woodlawn Grade School, but this year I am blessed to be full time at the High School