Sheila (Sweeney) Steiner MD

Sheila Steiner M.D. of Barrington and Riverside passed away peacefully on August 4, 2026, at the age of 98. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland on October 10, 1927. Her husband Manfred Steiner M.D. Ph.D. had previously passed away on January 7, 2023.

Sheila’s parents were Dr. Hugh Vincent Sweeney and Robina (Ruby) McLachlan. Sheila’s gifts of healing, compassion, giving, generosity, and kindness were instilled in her from a very young age by her parents. Her father, Dr. Vincent Sweeney, a very popular and well-respected General Practitioner in Glasgow, would often take Sheila with him when he visited tenements in poor sections of Glasgow. Her mother Robina was vibrant and loving and would help with her husband’s practice.

Sheila was the oldest of three children. She had a brother Vincent and a sister, Eileen. In 1940, Sheila and her sister Eileen were sent to the Sacred Heart boarding school in Girvan, Ayrshire to escape the bombings during World War II. Two years later her father passed away. Sheila was 14 years old. In 1942 her mother Robina opened a general store in Glasgow where Sheila would work during school vacations.

Sheila decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor. In 1946 she completed college at the University Glasgow and then completed medical school at The Royal College of Edinburgh. After she graduated from medical school in 1952, she was hired by her father’s partner as a GP in Glasgow. Her brother Vincent and sister Eileen also went to medical school and became doctors.

In 1958 Sheila, Eileen, Robina, and Martha (Robina’s sister) boarded the ship the USS America and set off for America. Her brother, Vincent, was already in America working at an Emergency Hospital in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, D.C., Sheila met and fell in love with her brother’s friend, Manfred Steiner. Manfred was from Vienna, Austria and was the Chief Resident in Medicine at Washington Hospital Center.

On December 27, 1960, Sheila and Manfred were married in Washington, D.C. After the wedding, Manfred, Sheila, Robina, and Martha moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Manfred was working at Tufts Medical Center as a fellow in Hematology, and Sheila began her career as an Anesthesiologist at Boston City Hospital. About one year later she obtained the position, Chief of Anesthesia, at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. In April 1962 their son Manfred was born, and in November 1963 they had a daughter Gabrielle. In 1967 Sheila and Manfred moved their family to Barrington RI. Both Sheila and Manfred worked at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, RI.

In the 1970s Sheila started working at Blackstone Valley Surgicare on School Street in Pawtucket. It was one of the first freestanding outpatient surgical facilities in RI. She also worked part-time at the VA Medical Center in Providence.

After retiring from medicine in her late 60s Sheila was able to follow one of her proudest passions. Sheila became the medical director of the St. Edwards Food and Wellness Center in Providence. She took care of many sick and poverty-stricken people. She would take vitals, administer vaccines, hand out medical supplies, coordinate care for the sick, and most of all provide emotional support, advice, compassion, generosity, and a warm heart full of love for everyone she met. She was always thinking of how she could help others. She was a selfless and humble individual who was always willing to listen. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and an open heart.

She also devoted time to volunteering at the St. Francis Poverello Center and Food pantry in Providence, and the St. Lukes Knights of Columbus outreach program in Barrington.

In June 2008 she became a member of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta. She was awarded the rank of “Dame of Magistral Grace (American Association)” for her dedication and humanitarian service to the poor and the sick

Sheila loved spending time with all her grandchildren, giving them each one-on-one attention.  She was an incredible mother and grandmother who was always there with love and support whenever her children and grandchildren needed her. Her grandchildren knew they could tell Nana anything. She would never be judgmental. She would always think of a solution for any problem. She was always there to celebrate in good times and provide a shoulder to cry on in challenging times.

 Sheila cherished her Scottish heritage and following Scottish traditions. Every Christmas she would dress in her Scottish kilt. She would make Christmas fruitcake, flaming plum pudding, and shortbread every year and hand them out to her friends. A few of her favorite hobbies were making homemade bread, cooking Scottish marmalade, and making bead jewelry. She loved to take long walks on the beach with her dog. She had several dogs throughout her life: Benny, a boxer, Nula, a yellow labrador, Buddy, a golden retriever, and DJ, a golden retriever. She would collect all sorts of treasures on the beach. She once found a red teddy bear washed up on the sand holding a heart that said, “Guess who luvs you”. She saw these treasures as signs that her loved ones were always with her.

Sheila has 6 grandchildren. Her daughter Gabrielle has daughters, Sarah, Heidi, Allison, and Madeline. Her son Manfred has a son John Peter (JP), and a daughter, Taylor (Tallie).

Sheila’s presence on this earth was a blessing for everyone who knew her. She touched the lives of everyone she met.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Edward’s Food and Wellness Center in Providence. Visitation will be on Monday August 24, 2026 in the Smith-Mason Funeral Home 398 Willet Ave Riverside, RI 02915 from 9:00 Am - 11:00 AM. Burial will be private.