Sister Zita was teacher, principal in Omaha archdiocese, pastoral minister in other states

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Zita Simon, whose 55 years of religious life included service as a teacher and principal at Catholic schools in the Omaha archdiocese, died Jan 5 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. She was 75.

A funeral Mass was held Jan. 15 in the motherhouse chapel with burial of cremains in the motherhouse cemetery.

Born in Farmington, Minnesota, Sister Zita entered religious life in 1965 and professed perpetual vows in 1970.

She served in the bakery and the laundry department at her order’s motherhouse in Sinsinawa, and also served as culinary artist at the St. Cecilia Parish convent in Omaha and Queen of Peace Convent in Burbank, Illinois.

She began her teaching career as a teacher’s aide in Chicago, and served as a teacher at the former St. Richard School in Omaha from 1977 to 1978, and at St. Michael School in South Sioux City from 1987 to 1990, where she was also principal. She also taught at schools in Oklahoma and Illinois.

Sister Zita later moved to Alaska where she served in pastoral ministry and as director of the Office of Ministry for the Diocese of Juneau. She returned to Wisconsin to serve as director of religious education and pastoral associate at Good Shepherd Parish in Madison until her retirement last year.