Maria Rita Sanchez was born to Maximo and Guadalupe Baca Sanchez on December 18, 1898 at Belen, New Mexico.

Her father's untiring efforts to teach religion to his children, instructions from the Jesuits in charge of the grade school, and influence of her teachers, the Sisters of Charity, all provided Maria Rita with deep religious values, and from earliest years she was attracted to religious life. Jesuit influence continued later: at age 17 her Jesuit Spanish professor gave a Scripture course which she called a "golden opportunity" in her life. She was a member of a choir directed by a Jesuit musician, and it was a Jesuit who, unknowingly, introduced her to the Benedictine Sisters at Clyde by giving her a booklet and copies of Tabernacle and Purgatory. 

She entered Clyde on June 18, 1920, drawn, as she admitted later, by a deep love for the Divine Office and the Psalms with which she had become familiar through sharing with a friend. Sr. M. Euphrasia made her first profession of vows on July 15, 1922 and final profession on March 10, 1928.

Most of her life was spent at our monastery in Tucson where she was one of three pioneer members, along with Sr. M. Carmelita and Sr. M. Ursula. They arrived in August 1935 to help renovate the house that was to become their first convent, and prepare it for the arrival of other members of the small community. The Spanish Sentinels who share our monastic prayer and eucharistic adoration in the Tucson chapel, were very much a part of Sr. M. Euphrasia's life and ministry, and to whom she was lovingly named "Madre." 

Sister requested a wheelbarrow for her Golden Jubilee instead of the traditional gift of a recliner chair. She also had a unique talent for handicrafts and was always in search of dead wood out of which she could create something beautiful.

Although in declining health, her final illness and death came quickly. Sister was taken to the hospital on November 1. While undergoing tests, Sr. M. Euphrasia, with childlike simplicity and deep religious convictions, reminded the Doctors and attendants that "this is the temple of the Lord"! As her condition worsened, Sister knew that her Lord was coming soon, and she said that she was ready. Our dear Sister M. Euphrasia Sanchez died peacefully on Wednesday, November 2, at 9:30 AM in Alexian Brothers' hospital in St. Louis.

Sister's family in Albuquerque arranged for a Memorial Mass so that all the relatives could be present. But still wanting to have the family represented at the funeral, a niece and nephew came to St. Louis and shared in the Wake service and the Mass of Christian burial.