In Memoriam: Rosemarie Reger-Rumsey
Listening House is saddened to report the passing of Rosemarie Reger-Rumsey, who served as Listening House’s executive director for 20 years. She not only played a crucial role in the history of Listening House, but was also a vital voice of compassion helping to unite St. Paul as a community—a point evidenced by the many tributes received from past and present St. Paul leaders.
As executive director from April 1999 to September 2017, her contributions to Listening House are immeasurable. “We are certainly standing on her shoulders,” explained current executive director Molly Jalma. “We couldn’t, by any means, be where we are right now without all the service that she provided. The construction of Listening House’s new building couldn’t have happened without the groundwork she put in place.”
“She just had uncompromising compassion for the people she served,” said former St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman. “The whole concept of Listening House—to just be present for people who are unheard and unseen—was the most amazing thing when I first got to know about it, and Rosemarie was the perfect person to lead it.”
In an interview with the Pioneer Press in 2015, Rosemarie said that “Listening House was founded to serve people who are disadvantaged, lonely, or homeless.”
Coming from a Robbinsdale family with six siblings, multiple foster children, and more than 60 cousins, Rosemarie brought her love of a “big, noisy house” with her to Listening House. Rosemarie’s work as a nurse led to meeting and marrying doctor Tim Rumsey, and led to a move to St. Paul.
“Rosemarie was the right person at the right time to lead Listening House,” said former St. Paul Mayor George Latimer, a longtime friend and neighbor.
“The qualities that she had to unite diverse parts of the community, all focused on helping the people who really needed it, were remarkable,” Latimer said. “Listening House was all about people listening to them. She named it perfectly.”
“Hospitality was her gift,” says her daughter Emily.
Her ability to build effective relationships is evident in the partnership created with the St. Paul Police Department. ”Rosemarie was the first person to explain homelessness to me,” said John Harrington,former St. Paul Police chief from 2004 to 2010. “Within a few weeks of my becoming chief of police, Rosemarie and I sat down together and she talked me through what homelessness was like in St. Paul.”
In addition to her husband Tim and daughter Emily, Rosemarie is survived by daughters Leslie Rumsey, Glynis Rumsey and four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2pm., July 28 at Assumption Church in St. Paul, with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church and from 4-8pm July 27 at O’Halloran and Murphy Funeral Home in St. Paul.
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