A lifetime Nevadan, Chris Sheerin was born in Virginia City. His father, Edward J. Sheerin, was a miner and his mother, Gussie Hummel Sheerin, taught school in Gold Hill.
He graduated from Tonopah High School in 1920 and was a member of the University of Nevada's first class of journalism in 1924. He worked as a reporter for the Nevada State Journal before joining the Elko Free Press in 1926. There he became co-publisher with E.B. Steninger in 1945, until selling out in 1967.
Sheerin was one of the founders of the Elko radio station KELK and was president of the Elko Broadcasting Company for 25 years.
A former member of the University of Nevada Board of Regents, Sheerin received many honors during his career in Nevada journalism. He was a member of Kappa Tau Alpha, a national honorary journalistic society has was awarded the Silver Quill Award by the Reno Press Club. He also received the University of Nevada Centennial Award, the Community Service Award of the Nevada Community College, the Distinguished Citizen award for the Nevada Knights of Columbus and was made a Paul Harris fellow of Rotary International.
He served as president of the Nevada State Press Association, the Elko Chamber of Commerce, and the Elko 20-30 Club and was an honorary life member of the Elks Lodge, Knights of Columbus, Nevada State Press Association, and the Nevada Civic Club.