Marion 'Maisie' Shepherd was born in Northern Ireland 31 May 1938, she immigrated to New Zealand on the 'Arawa' following several family members who had made their way to Canterbury. After arriving in Christchurch in 1921, Marion studied to become a midwife at St Helen's Hospital in Sydenham before going on to study general nursing at Christchurch Hospital from 1923 to 1927. Eventually she completed her studies in Dunedin, training to become a Plunket nurse at Karitane Hospital in 1928. Marion worked as a Plunket Nurse for 19 years in Rangiora, Cashmere, Auckland and Dunedin, towards the end of her Plunket Career she trained other Plunket nurses. After an extended trip back to Ireland she worked in several nursing jobs including at the newly built Nurse Maude Hospital in 1952.