By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DELHI TOWNSHIP - Leo Marie Upsing, former nurse and pastoral caregiver and a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, died Thursday in the Mother Margaret Hall nursing home in Delhi Township. She was 98.

Born Mildred Upsing in 1905 in Cincinnati, Sister Leo Marie earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from St. Joseph in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1941. She was a Sister of Charity for 75 years.

Before she became a nurse, she was an elementary teacher in Colorado and Michigan.

For more than 40 years, she served as a nurse at a number of hospitals, including St. Joseph Hospital, Albuquerque, N.M. (1936-41); St. Mary Corwin Hospital, Pueblo, Colo. (1941-54, 1957-59); and St. Vincent Hospital, Santa Fe, N.M., (1954-57).

From 1959-1970, Sister Leo Marie was a nursing supervisor at the Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. She served as a pastoral caregiver in the hospital's visitor program from 1970-72. She did not miss a day for illness in the 22 years she served Good Samaritan and was particularly devoted to dying patients and their families.

"I can picture her, clear as day, walking around in her white habit and always pleasant and smiling," said Sister of Charity Anne Bockhorst. "She always took night duty at Good Samaritan Hospital and on her day off was out visiting."

Sister Leo Marie retired in 1982 to the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse but continued ministering in pastoral care at both the Motherhouse and Mother Margaret Hall nursing home. She also worked part-time in the motherhouse clinic.

Her hobbies included stamp collecting, playing cards and gardening. By 1994 she had more than 100,000 stamps from more than 30 countries, and was especially fond of her Vatican stamps.

Survivors include a brother, Clifford Hiegelof Cincinnati, and nieces and nephews.

Visitation is 12-2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Heritage Room at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse. A Mass of Christian burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. in the Immaculate Conception Chapel in the Motherhouse. Burial will be in the Motherhouse cemetery.

Memorials: Sisters of Charity Retirement Fund in Sister Leo Marie Upsing's name, 5900 Delhi Road, Mount St. Joseph, OH 45051.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com