Rosemary Roney, RSCJ

Religious of the Sacred Heart, Rosemary Roney, passed away peacefully on September 14, 2025, at the Oakwood Retirement Community in Atherton, California. At the time of her death, Sister Roney was 99 years old and had devoted 77 years of her life to religious life. Affectionately known as “Oney,” she was born on October 7, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan, to Edward Charles Roney and Rosemary Greiner Trombly. She grew up as one of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister.

Rosemary graduated from Manhattanville College in 1947, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. The following year, in September 1948, she entered the Society of the Sacred Heart at Kenwood in Albany, New York, and pronounced her first vows there in 1951.

Sister Roney’s teaching ministry began at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Rochester, New York, where she taught from 1951 to 1955. She then taught at Sacred Heart Greenwich (formerly known as Convent of the Sacred Heart) and at Convent of the Sacred Heart at Kenwood. In September 1957, she traveled to Rome to prepare for her final profession, which she made on February 10, 1958.

After her final profession, Sister Roney spent the next decade at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield, Michigan, teaching English and religion to fifth and sixth graders. Her responsibilities included leading singing for Junior and Middle Schools, facilitating reading groups, directing the choir, and teaching all subjects for first grade and religion for third grade.

In 1968, Sister Roney interned at a Montessori school as part of her graduate studies in education. She obtained her Master of Arts in Education, with a concentration on Montessori, from Xavier University in 1969. Over the years, she served on several educational, leadership, and chaplaincy committees and groups, including the American Montessori Society (1969–1980), the Executive Board of the Archdiocesan Council of Religious of Detroit (1972–1976), the Diocesan Council of Religious in Albany (1977–1982), as well as the Greater Seattle Chaplains Association and Catholic Hospital Ministry.

From 1969 to 1971, Sister Roney taught first grade, facilitated an Education to Mission group, and served as executive secretary to the headmistress at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York (91st Street). She then taught grades one through three and served as religious education coordinator at Grosse Pointe Academy, Michigan, also working in Education to Mission for seven years. Between 1977 and 1982, Sister Roney held various roles at Kenwood Infirmary before teaching first grade at Holy Redeemer School in Washington, DC (1982–1985). She continued her education at Seattle University, earning a Master of Divinity in 1989.

In 1989, Sister Roney began her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) internship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. She served briefly as a Catholic chaplain before moving to St. John the Evangelist as a pastoral associate (1990–1999). She continued her hospital ministry as interim director of Catholic Hospital Ministry for the Archdiocese of Seattle and as a chaplain with Louise de Marilac Parish in Bellevue, Washington.

In September 2000, Sister Roney was sent to Korea to begin a new ministry teaching English to novices and young professed sisters. She taught many students individually, believing this approach to be more effective for language learning. Her presence and support were deeply valued by her sisters in Seoul and Paju.

After three years in Korea, Sister Roney returned to the United States and began the process of recertification as a chaplain with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. She settled in the Wrenwood Community in Troy, Michigan, where she spent the next ten years providing pastoral care and enjoying the company of family and friends in Detroit. In 2013, she moved to Albany to assist with pastoral care at the Teresian House community and lived at Abba House. She remained in Albany until 2016, when she retired at age 91 to the Oakwood Retirement Community in Atherton, California.

Sister Roney was a beloved member of the Oakwood Community. On the afternoon of September 14, 2025, she died peacefully, surrounded by the love and prayers of her Sisters who were grateful for her life and relieved that she was no longer suffering after being on hospice care for some time.

Memorial contributions in memory of Sister Rosemary Roney, RSCJ, may be made to the Society of the Sacred Heart, P.O. Box 958047, St. Louis, MO 63195-8047, or online at https://rscj.org/donate.