Sr. M. Simone Roach
Born In: New Waterford
Passed in: Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Passed on: July 2nd, 2016
Sister M. Simone Roach, 93, a Sister of Saint Martha, died at Bethany, the Motherhouse, on July 2, 2016. She was in the 69th year of religious life.
Born in New Waterford, N.S., Sister Simone was one of 11 children of the late Simon and Mary (MacInnis) Roach.
Sister entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha in 1945, and made her perpetual profession of vows on August 15, 1950. Prior to entering the Congregation she graduated from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing, Glace Bay, N.S. After her profession of vows Sister Simone spent most of her life ministering in the field of Nursing Education. In Nova Scotia, she served at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Glace Bay, St. Martha’s Hospital School of Nursing and the Nursing Department of St. Francis Xavier University, both in Antigonish. She served, also, at St. Augustine’s Seminary, Scarborough, Toronto School of Theology, Toronto, St. Bonifice Hospital, Winnipeg, and Catherine Labouré School of Nursing, Boston, MA. In 1980-81, Sister was Scholar in Ethics at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, and visiting professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. She served 1981-85 as a member of the General Council of the Congregation. In 1996 established the Congregation’s Heritage Department at Bethany. Her gifts as writer, author and speaker, particularly on topics of Ethics and Caring, continues to contribute greatly to education in the health care profession.
A graduate of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Sister furthered her studies in administration and clinical supervision at the University of Toronto and received a Master of Science in Administration Nursing Education at Boston University. In 1970 she received her Doctorate in Higher Education from the School of Education at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. In 2011, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., conferred upon Sister Simone the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, in recognition of her influential work on the study of caring in nursing practice across the globe.
Sister Simone was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2010 for her contributions as a leader in nursing education and for establishing the first Code of Ethics for nurses in Canada.
Sister Simone is survived by one sister, Ellen Smith, Florida, and by one brother, Bernard, Gloucester, Ont.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by sisters, Catherine Roach, Sarah Gillis, Sister Mary Celesta, Sister of Charity of Halifax and brothers, Henry, Angus, David, Father William ‘Bill’ and Thomas.
The remains will be resting at Bethany, beginning Tuesday, July 5th at 1:15 p.m. A Celebration of Vigil will be held on the same evening at 7:30. Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, July 6th at 2 p.m. in Bethany chapel.
Arrangements are under the direction of Curry’s Funeral Home of Antigonish.
Online condolences at www.clcurry.com.
