Sheila Walsh

Sheila O'Nions was born on 1928 in Birmingham, England, UK. During theSecond World War, her family moved to her loved Southport, Lancashire.In Southport, she met a handsome young, Des Walsh, and they married in 1950.The marriage had two daughters, Fran Walsh and Tess Walsh. Her husband wasthe son of the Thomas Walsh, who had a jewelry store in Southport at 39Chapel Street since 1926, and Sheila worked during years in her husband'sfamiliar jewelry store, with her husband, her husband's elder brother,Gerard Walsh, and his wife Dorothy.

In 1971, Sheila joined the Southport Writers' Circle. Published in 1975, herdebut novel, "The Golden Songbird", won the Netta Muskett award for newwriters from the Romantic Novelists' Association, and in 1984, her novel, AHighly Respectable Marriage won the Elizabeth Goudge award. Since 1980, shebecame the vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and laterthe thirteenth elected Chairman (1985-1987). En 1986, she was elected lifepresident of the Southport Writers' Circle.

Sheila suffered from Alzheimer's disease in her later years. Survived by herhusband and their two daughters, she passed away in 20 January 2009, at 80.