Sr. Rosaleen Simpleman, S.C.

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Rosaleen Simpleman died on May 4, 2026, at the age of 91 in Mother Margaret Hall on the Mount St. Joseph campus. 

Sister Rosaleen was born on Aug. 17, 1934, in Trinidad, Colorado, to Leroy and Rose (Bilotti) Simpleman. She was the oldest of six children, with three brothers and two sisters. She was a Sister of Charity for 70 years.

 She attended Holy Trinity grade school and graduated from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Trinidad in 1952. After beginning her college education at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, and teaching for one year, Sister Rosaleen entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati on Sept. 8, 1955. She often credited the Sisters she encountered during her education as a major influence on her vocation.

Sister Rosaleen earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the College of Mount St. Joseph in 1957 and a master’s degree in guidance counseling from Fordham University in New York City in 1966.

Her 55 years of ministry included education, congregational leadership, pastoral ministry, health care coordination and parish-based service. She began teaching English at Seton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1957 and later taught at Carroll High School in Dayton, Ohio, from 1961 until 1964. She then served as counselor at Marion High School in Marion, Ohio, from 1964 to 1968 and at Elizabeth Seton High School in South Holland, Illinois, from 1968 to 1969.

Following the changes of the Second Vatican Council, Sister Rosaleen was asked to work with Stanford Consultants in preparation for the congregation’s 1969 Chapter. After the Chapter, she became the congregation’s first director of career development and later served as director of personnel services. Reflecting on that time, she shared, “We changed the traditional missioning procedure to a modified open placement process. This required facilitating workshops in writing resumes, making applications, and interviewing. Through this process I really learned to appreciate the diversity and giftedness of our Sisters.”

In 1975, Sister Rosaleen returned to Seton High School, where she put into practice the counseling skills and procedures that she had learned with the Sisters. In 1980, she transitioned to health care as manager of the Pastoral Care Department following the merger of two hospitals in western Cincinnati. She later reflected that it was there that she came to more deeply understand the meaning of “living the Gospel” as she witnessed both human suffering and the compassion of those who cared for others.

This ministry experience led Sister Rosaleen to a leadership role in 1986 as senior vice president of mission effectiveness for the Sisters of Charity Health Care System. In 1997, Sister Rosaleen, along with her friend Sister Bernadette Schmitt, founded Emmaus Initiatives through a grant from the SC Ministry Foundation. The organization provided support and encouragement to adult parishioners to enhance wellness of body, mind and spirit. Participants were trained to develop and organize parish volunteers for ministry within the Church.

Sister Rosaleen retired from active ministry in 2009, embracing a ministry of presence and prayer. She moved to Mount St. Joseph in 2021. Board service was a role she took seriously, serving on boards at St. Mary-Corwin in Pueblo, Colorado; Seton High School in Cincinnati; and Healthy Moms & Babes in Cincinnati.

 Looking back on her life, Sister Rosaleen often spoke of the enduring influence of her parents. From an early age, she learned through their example the importance of loving others regardless of their ethnicity, religion or economic status. She recalled their willingness to respond to those in need, offer heartfelt support to those experiencing loss, listen with compassion, and provide guidance to younger people who lacked parental support. “This was a beautiful teaching example for me,” she said. “Mom and Dad continually served as my models in my pursuit of love and kindness in this life.”

In 1993, Sister Rosaleen and Sisters of Charity Associate Maureen Maxfield received the Sisters of Charity Health Care System’s President’s Award for creating SCHCS’ nationally acclaimed “Values in Leadership” program. They were recognized for their unique contribution to values- based leadership development within Catholic health ministry.

Sister Rosaleen is survived by sisters, Rosalie Amato and Barbara Dwyer; her brother, Louis Simpleman; along with nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Charles Simpleman and Robert Simpleman.

Sisters, family and friends will greet visitors in the back of the Motherhouse Chapel from 9-10 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel. Sister’s burial will follow in the Sisters of Charity cemetery.

Memorials can be made in Sister Rosaleen Simpleman’s name to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Rd., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio 45051.