Mary Rosalie Held

Mary Rosalie Held passed away peacefully with her family on March 10, 2026. She was the eldest daughter of Francis and Catherine Marie Schmidt and is survived by her daughter Kimberlie Ebey (Clint), sister Mary Christine Schrader (Tom), brother Mark Schmidt (Debbie), and numerous nephews and cousins.

Rosalie attended grade school at St. Joan of Arc and St. Agnes High School, and later studied at Butler University. She dedicated 37 years to Indiana Bell and Ameritech, advancing into management at a time when few women held such roles. In 1972 she was honored as Woman of the Year by the American Business Women’s Association. Her deep commitment to community led her to participate in the Lugar Series in Indianapolis.

A lifelong love of music and the arts defined much of her public service. She provided leadership for the Juried Exhibition for Student Art and served on the boards of the Madame Walker Theater and the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Her Catholic faith remained central throughout her life; she served her parish at Christ the King as a lector and Eucharistic minister.

Above all, Rosalie found her greatest joy in her roles as a devoted mother, wife, sister, and friend. Family and friends remember her warmth, her gift for conversation filled with laughter even in difficult times, and her unmistakable sense of style. She had a flair for decorating and table setting that became legendary among those who knew her, and she once received an honorary recognition for her arrangements at Symphony on the Prairie. Her spirit endures through her unwavering faith and in the lives of her beloved family.