Sr. Grace Simms, OP

Dominican Sister of Peace Grace Simms, OP (90), a native of Loretto, Kentucky, died on April 25, 2024, at Sansbury Care Center, St. Catharine, Kentucky.  Sr. Grace is survived by seven sisters Evelyn Edelen, Vernice Simms, Betty Blair, Geraldine Keysor, Rita Ann Harrod, Jane Carol Thompson, and Margaret O’Bryan along with several nieces and nephews.

A Dominican for 68 years, Sr. Grace earned a Bachelor of Arts in English/Business from Siena College (Memphis, TN) and two Master of Arts – one in Business Education from Catholic University (Washington, DC) and one in Theology from University of Dayton (Dayton, OH).  She ministered as a teacher at St. Louis Bertrand (Louisville, KY); St. Mary (Omaha, NE); Spalding Academy (Spalding, NE); Kearney Catholic (Kearney, NE); and Central Catholic (Grand Island, NE).  In 1972, Sister was the Registrar/Admissions Director at St. Catharine College (St. Catharine, KY) and later served as both Campus Minister and Director of Alumni.  In 1979, Sr. Grace traveled to Orland Park, IL, where she ministered at St. Michael’s Parish as Pastoral Minster, she also served as Parish Minister for St. Peter and Sacred Heart Parishes in Memphis, TN.  Sister moved back to the Kentucky area and became the Pastoral Associate at SS Simon and Jude Parish (Louisville, KY).  In 1990, she ministered as Southern Regional Coordinator for the former congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine (St. Catharine, KY). In 1994, Sister traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where she was an instructor of English.  She then traveled to St. Louis, MO, where she ministered at Aquinas Institute as Administrative Assistant to the Office of Institutional Advancement.  Sr. Grace served as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for The Caring Place, an organization that serves victims of domestic violence in Kentucky.  Following retirement, she continued to provide community service at St. Catharine Motherhouse, St. Catharine, Kentucky.

In 2019, Sr. Grace moved to Sansbury Care Center (St. Catharine, KY), where she began a ministry of prayer and presence.

Arrangements are handled by Hale–Polin–Robinson Funeral Home in Springfield, Kentucky. The visitation begins at 3pm, Monday, April 29 at the Sansbury Care Center Chapel.  The funeral will be held at 10:30am, Tuesday, April 30, at Sansbury Care Center Chapel.  Burial will be in the St. Catharine Motherhouse cemetery.

Memorial gifts in Sr. Grace’s memory may be sent to Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Mission Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr., Columbus, OH 43219-2098. To make a secure online donation or to view a full obituary, please visit www.oppeace.org.